Re: [Boost-users] Compilers supported by a given library

From: Edward Diener (eddielee_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-06-08 18:21:53

Jan Stetka wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> What compiler and library combination were you using when it failed? The 
> regression tests (follow the links on the main page) are useful for 
> seeing which compilers pass and fail particular test cases. Some of the 
> libraries include in the documentation what compilers they support.

The combinations which failed were Wave and Program_Options with VC6. I 
am not sanguine about using VC6, knowing what a poor compiler it is in 
terms of C++ standardization but I am forced to at least for some 
programs in a consulting job I am doing.

I do not think regression test results are a valid way to say what 
compilers are supported for a library. Many of the regression tests do 
not even occur for particular compilers, and there are many testers 
doing tests, some using a particular compiler for particular libraries 
and others not using a particular compiler. The regression tests results 
appear very random, not in their actual results buit in whom is doing 
testing with what.

Many libraries do not bother to say anything in their documentation 
about what compilers are supported.

Boost really needs a table which specifically says, for any given 
release in the future, which compilers are supported for which 
libraries. Anything short of that is confusing and will cause end user 
problems.

> 
> 
> Edward Diener wrote:
>> Is there any central place in the Boost documentation which tells, for 
>> any given release, or even just for the latest release, which compilers 
>> are supported by a given library ?
>>
>> I ask this because attempting to build a particular library in Boost 
>> 1.33.1 for a particular compiler failed, and I could see no place where 
>> I could determine whether that Boost library was actually meant to 
>> support the particular compiler or not in the 1.33.1 implementation.