Re: [Boost-users] Getting started with Boost: what did you need to know?

From: Michael Shapiro (mshapiro_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-02 13:54:37

On Monday 30 January 2006 17:37, David Abrahams wrote:
> Michael Shapiro <mshapiro_at_[hidden]> writes:
> > Dear Steve -
> >
> > Glad to hear you are doing this.
>
> Ahem.  It's Dave. :)
>
> > After many hours, I am still trying to get
> > started with Boost.  I have been trying to use Boost serialization.   I
> > am working on a linux box.  I have followed download and installation
> > directions, rather carefully, I think.  After trying unsuccessfully to
> > compile and link my own "Hello, Serialization" program, I downloaded and
> > tried the serialization demo.  I have still not been able to link this. 
> > I get copious errors complaining of undefined references.  A typical one
> > is
> >
> >  undefined reference to
> > `boost::archive::basic_text_iprimitive<std::basic_istream<char,
> > std::char_traits<char> >
> > >::basic_text_iprimitive(std::basic_istream<char, std::char_traits<char>
> > >&, bool)'
> >
> > I have found several people asking how to fix this problem on the Boost
> > users' group, but have not been able to find instructions anywhere that
> > would solve it.
> >
> > As things now stand, I can't tell whether
> >
> > a) My build is incorrect.
> > b) I am failing to set some environment variable.
> > c) I am failing to link some library or correctly set some compiler flag.
>
> I'm pretty sure it's c: you're failing to link the Boost serialization
> library.  But you should make a post about that whose subject starts
> with "[serialization]" so that the maintainer can help you with that
> problem.
>

Thanks.  I will give that a try when I have a chance to get back to this.

> > Okay, I have whined long enough.  What would be helpful would be
> > a) Complete instructions for building Boost.  (I worked from the getting
> > started page.
>
> In what way is that page incomplete?

This claim may be wrong.  When I wrote it, I was under the impression that I 
needed compiler_status and  process_jam_log (see below).  However, it may not 
be wrong.  If I ever get any of this to run, I'll know if there was something 
missing here.

>
> > It was only after much hacking around that I found another
> > page telling me I needed compiler_status and  process_jam_log.
>
> You did?  Which page, please?  You certainly don't need either one of
> those in order to build Boost.

This is in boost_1_32_0/more/regression.html  By then I was looking for ways 
to test the installation and sufficiently flummoxed to wonder if I needed 
these for the original build.

>
> > b) Instructions on how to tell is your build is complete and
> > correct.
>
> Hmm, good one.  When bjam completes it will tell you whether there
> were errors.  If there were no errors, you can assume it was complete
> and correct.  Or did you have something else in mind?
>

I'm not sure what would work here.  When bjam lists the number of targets 
found and then says it is making a smaller number of targets, it's unclear to 
the novice whether the targets that are being omitted should be omitted.

I suppose a static test of this would be in the form of a check to see that 
all files are where they should be.  I guess this is platform dependent and 
might be a pain to maintain.

Perhaps a better idea would be a test suite that builds and runs a set of 
basic examples from each of the libraries and checks their results.  This 
would have the advantages of
a) discovering whether the basics work, thus
b) exhonerating the installation and convicting me of my own ignorance if my 
examples don't work, and
c) giving me the means to remedy my ignorance by looking at the examples 
embedded in the test suite.

> > c) An example of how to compile and link the demo, either from the
> > command line or via a make file.
>
> That, again, sounds like something specific to the serialization
> library.  In other words, the serialization library author ought to
> improve his docs.  So, add that to your message with "[serialization]"
> in the subject line.
>
> > Hope this is helpful,
>
> Once you answer the questions I'm posing in response, I think it will
> be.  Thanks for your time,
>
> Dave