Re: [Boost-build] Need toolset for Clang with Microsoft CodeGen (aka clang/c2)

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Need toolset for Clang with Microsoft CodeGen (aka clang/c2)
From: Edward Diener (eldiener_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-12-10 22:20:33

On 12/10/2015 5:03 PM, Beman Dawes wrote:
> See
> http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vcblog/archive/2015/12/04/introducing-clang-with-microsoft-codegen-in-vs-2015-update-1.aspx
>
> I've been testing clang/c2 both via the Visual Studio IDE and from the
> command line. While it is just a preview release, it already works well
> enough that having a Boost.Build toolset would be quite useful.
>
> It would be great if someone could contribute such a toolset!

I contributed a general Windows toolset for clang-cl, which was actually 
taken from another user's post. The toolset is called clang-win.jam. 
This was never integrated into the general clang.jam because of the 
difficulty under Windows of distinguishing between the clang/gcc and 
clang-cl implementations of clang on Windows. Furthermore because I did 
not believe that attempting to replicate the broken VC++ preprocessor in 
clang-cl in all situations is a viable way of using that compiler I did 
not pursue that sort of integration in Boost build, even if I were 
capable of doing it ( which I am not because my level of understanding 
Boost build is pretty low ).

Given the assumption that clang/c2 uses the clang preprocessor and not 
the broken VC++ imitation clang-cl preprocessor I would also like to see 
a clang/c2 implementation in Boost build to test out libraries under 
Windows using it. But someone else with a much greater understanding of 
Boost build than mine needs to step and provide it, perhaps using what 
is already in clang-win.jam.

While clang/gcc on Windows is a very strong and relibale compiler, its 
linker is still broken in numerous situations where the Windows gcc 
linker is working properly. I just haven't had the time to present 
those situations to clang on their developers mailing list. Therefore if 
clang/c2 on Windows works better overall it would be great.