Re: [Boost-build] ./b2 install --prefix=<DIR> is not really helpful

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] ./b2 install --prefix=<DIR> is not really helpful
From: Bruno Santos (bsantos_at_[hidden])
Date: 2012-02-23 11:46:05

On 23/02/2012, at 15:51, Fabien Chêne wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Using BoostBuild basically requires two things: the binary (bjam or
> b2), and the path to the 'library" (the BOOST_BUILD_PATH). The first
> thing to do is to invoke (on Linux) bootstrap.sh. Then a message is
> printed:
> 
> Bootstrapping the build engine with toolset gcc... engine/bin.linuxx86_64/bjam
> Bootstrapping is done. To build and install, run:
>    ./b2 install --prefix=<DIR>
> 
> It installs the binary and a build directory is copied. Unfortunately,
> it does not seem appropriate to be used by the BOOST_BUILD_PATH or the
> boost-build.jam. Instead, the parent directory should be installed --
> the one that contains the file bootstrap.jam.
> 
> Furthermore, I tried ./b2 install --prefix=~/DIR. It resulted in a new
> directory called '~', in the current directory, which shall contain
> the whole set of files. Since it is a bit risky to safely remove this
> unexpected newly created directory, I would expect a different
> behaviour here. However, I'm not sure this is BoostBuild fault,
> perhaps I should have quoted the --prefix parameter like that:
> "~/DIR".
> 
> What do you make of it ?

You should put the full path if you use the prefix option. Don't expect the boost build to interpret ~  as your home directory, that's a feature from the shell and not the OS file system.
Regarding the BOOST_BUILD_PATH/boost-build.jam, if you install boost the proper way it will copy the core to '$(prefix)/share/boost-build' and the engine will look there, you don't need BOOST_BUILD_PATH/boost-build.jam to tell it where to find it.

Regards