Re: [Boost-build] switching on toolset

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] switching on toolset
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-06-22 12:49:12

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vladimir Prus [mailto:vladimir.prus_at_[hidden]]
> Sent: 22 June 2015 12:39
> To: boost-build_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [Boost-build] switching on toolset
> 
> On 6/20/2015 7:52 PM, Robert Ramey wrote:
> >
> > LOL - I have no idea - Boost Build is a total mystery to me for the
> > reasons I've stated.  It has lot's of "automatic" behavior built in
> > with the hope that it will "just work".  Which it does - until it
> > doesn't. Then you find your self trolling the bjam macros to some
> > undefined depthing trying to find the conflict.  This wastes huge amount of time.  Worst of all
this
> behavior can change on hidden variables - os, compiler version, other switches, etc.... It's
probably the
> reason that boost build is such a time consumer.
> 
> Robert,
> 
> you've made the same point earlier. If I remember correctly, the responses was:
> 
> - Steven's asked you to provide more concrete issues, as well as proposed changes to behaviour
> - I have asked you to comment on a prototype implementation of a better reporting of what's
happening
> 
> Unless I've missed something, you did neither, and you're making the same generic comment. Sadly,
it's
> not helpful. I have experience building stuff using all of make/automake, qmake, qbs, cmake, scons
and
> waf (if we only include tools for C++, and exclude various 'helpful' scripts on top of that). None
of them
> really isolate you from os or compiler version or other things - or make debugging issues
particularly easy.
> I'd even claim that Boost.Build --debug-* options are more useful than whatever these tools
provide.
> 
> So, if you're interesting in improving things, could you act on earlier responses, please?

I have a simple suggestion that I believe would help matter greatly without being a major amount of
work.

Give lots (and lots and lots) more examples of command lines and entries in user-config.jam and
jamfile.v2.

Add a brief comment on what they do too.

Perhaps you can update the docs source in /develop?

But at least a release update would be really helpful in reducing the user fumbling - and googling
to lots of often dodgy suggestions.

If you added an example for every query you got, you might head off a lot more queries - and user
frustration.

HTH

Paul

PS There are lot of suggestions on switching C++03/11/14/17 - include those too.

---
Paul A. Bristow
Prizet Farmhouse
Kendal UK LA8 8AB
[phone]