Re: [Boost-cmake] link tests

Subject: Re: [Boost-cmake] link tests
From: Brad King (brad.king_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-05-20 15:13:44

troy d. straszheim wrote:
> I was trying to fix asio link tests and hit a couple of snags.  I put in 
> a workaround (which I bet breaks more than it fixes) and would like some 
> feedback from kitware.  The problems i was trying to fix:

We generally build all test executables and libraries during the normal
build step.  Then it all compiles/links at build time and has full access
to targets and flags.

Everything except compile-fail and link-fail tests should eventually be
combined into test driver executables for each library.

> 1.  The test is to ensure that linking against another built library 
> succeeds.  Typically cmake handles things internally with absolute paths 
> (not with -L).  How do I send the full path of e.g. boost_system, which 
> is hidden from me, to a ctest process (which in turn invokes a cmake 
> process, whch invokes a make process)?

The whole idea of --build-and-test is to build a project outside the tree
as if it is a user project.  A user project won't know the paths unless
it does a find_package(Boost).  Ideally boost-cmake should provide a
boost package using the method documented here:

   http://www.cmake.org/Wiki/CMake_2.6_Notes

It is possible to provide a package directly from the build tree as well
as in an install tree.  Then the build-and-test step can point Boost_DIR
directly at its build tree and everything will work.

> 2.  The link tests didn't obey CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER, etc.  Compile tests 
> probably still don't...

CTest's --build-and-test mode has a '--build-options' argument.  Pass
the compiler through it:

   ... -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} ...

-Brad