Re: [Boost-build] Should link=static disable all shared library tests?

Subject: Re: [Boost-build] Should link=static disable all shared library tests?
From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir.prus_at_[hidden])
Date: 2016-01-25 13:59:52

On 24-Jan-16 7:48 AM, Edward Diener wrote:
> On 1/23/2016 10:11 PM, Steven Watanabe wrote:
>> AMDG
>>
>> On 01/23/2016 07:47 PM, Kuhl, Brian wrote:
>>> I'm invoking the boost test suite with command similar to the one below:
>>>
>>> source  ./$(VXWORKS_ENV_SH) &&  cd status   &&  \
>>>                 ../b2 -j$(JOBS) --prefix=$(ROOT_DIR) --libdir=$(LIBDIR)/$(TOOL_COMMON_DIR)
>>> --includedir=$(VSB_DIR)/usr/h/public   \
>>>                                   link=static toolset=gcc-vxworks target-os=vxworks
>>> testing.launcher=./vxworks_boost_test_run.exp \
>>>                                  "--limit-tests=atomic|date_time|accumulators|algorithm|align|array|assert"
>>>
>>> Several library tests are failing because of the lack of shared libraries, despite the designation of link=static.
>>> So far I've encountered tests in system, random and filesystem that insist on trying to link against shared libraries..
>>>
>>> Is this expected behavior for some reason, or a defect that should be corrected?
>>> Looking at the regression targets I don't see any that would typically use static linking.
>>>
>>
>>    This behavior is expected.  Boost.Random
>> explicitly runs the same test with both
>> static and shared libraries.  I assume
>> it's the same for the others.  In any case,
>> the target properties override anything specified
>> on the command line.
>
> I find it very mysterious that the command line does not override everything else in Boost Build. I have also found it
> nearly impossible to determine what overrides what when it comes to Boost Build properties. It does not appear to be
> documented anywhere and my past attempts at finding out what is the hierarchy which determines how a property is set,
> when it is specified in different places in jamfiles and on the command line, have never been answered. Can an attempt
> please be made in the documentation to explain this ?

Hi Edward,

I think this aspect is documented at http://www.boost.org/build/doc/html/bbv2/reference/buildprocess.html, where it say:

        A non-conditional property in requirement in always present in common properties.

Could you read that page and tell whether anything can be explained better?

Thanks,

-- 
Vladimir Prus
http://vladimirprus.com