[Boost-users] [Python] Debug Python (PY_DEBUG) libs and auto-linking

From: Brian O'Kennedy (brian.o'kennedy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-04-18 03:49:12

Hi, 

 

Apologies for the long email, but I figured I might as well be detailed
in my explanation. My two questions are below regarding the process of
building Boost.Python against a PY_DEBUG debug build of Python, and the
failure of auto-linking of such debug libs of Boost.Python (those with
'gyd' in the name).

 

I'm using both the Release and Debug versions of Python 2.5.1 on Windows
compiled with Visual Studio 2005. The Debug version of python produces
python_d.exe and python25_d.dll, while the release version uses
python.exe and python25.dll. 

 

I've downloaded and built Boost 1.35.0 with the following steps:

 

1.	Edit Jamroot as follows:  (lines I add start with a "+" )

 

 

      <define>BOOST_ALL_NO_LIB=1

+     <define>_SECURE_SCL=0                                

      # Used to encode variant in target name. See the

 

I do this since our codebase is compiled without the secure iterators
for performance reasons. This isn't relevant to my question, but I might
as well mention it.  Also, I add the following to build the debug python
libs:

 

 

# location of python

local python-root = [ MATCH "^--with-python-root=(.*)" : [ modules.peek
: ARGV ] ] ;

PYTHON_ROOT ?= $(python-root) ;

 

+ using python : 2.5 :
C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PCbuild\\python.exe

+   : C:\\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\Include
C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PC 

+   : C:\\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PCbuild

+   : <python-debugging>off ;

 

 

+ using python : 2.5 :
C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PCbuild\\python_d.exe

+   : C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\Include
C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PC 

+   : C:\\3rdparty\\Python\\Python-2.5.1-vc8sp1-Patch1\\PCbuild

+   : <python-debugging>on ;

 

# Select the libraries to install.

libraries = [ libraries-to-install $(all-libraries) ] ;

 

I could also add this to my user-config.jam file but I got annoyed by
bjam not picking that up if it is in the same folder as Jamroot, it
would only find it if I put it in my user home. 

 

Then I trigger the builds using bjam:

  bjam.exe -d +2 --toolset=msvc --build-type=complete install

  bjam.exe -d +2 --toolset=msvc --with-python python-debugging=on
install debug

  bjam.exe -d +2 --toolset=msvc --with-python python-debugging=off
install release

 

This gives me the complete Boost I want with the addition of the Release
and Debug versions of Boost Python. The Debug version of Boost Python
I'm after is boost_python-vc80-mt-gyd-1_35.dll and the release is
boost_python-vc80-mt-1_35.dll

 

So, my first question is: Surely there must be an easier way to do what
I tried to achieve above? Should building a true debug (ie, a
traditional python debug lib with PY_DEBUG enabled) version of Boost
Python really take this much hackery? This is where people point out to
me just how little I know about bjam / boost build... 

 

Second problem is the auto linking of.Boost Python. 

If I create an DLL application in Visual Studio 2005, set the include
directories, set the library directories, set the output target as
BoostPythonTest.pyd in Release, and BoostPythonTest_d.pyd in Debug, I
get the following situation. 

 

 

BoostPythonTest.cpp

#include <boost/python.hpp>

 

char const* greet()

{

  return "hello, world";

}

 

BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(BoostPythonTest)

{

  using namespace boost::python;

  def("greet", greet);

}

 

 

This auto-links boost_python-vc80-mt-1_35.dll in Release mode just as it
should and everything works just fine. 

In Debug mode, this auto links boost_python-vc80-gd-1_35.dll which is
the Boost.Python debug lib which does not define PY_DEBUG which is not
the behaviour I want. The Boost Python docs makes some reference to
using BOOST_DEBUG_PYTHON to change the behavior of wrap_python.hpp but
no such support seems to exist to modify the auto-linking behavior.  To
get my module to link to release python in release mode, and debug
python via boost_python-vc80-mt-gyd-1_35.lib (with PY_DEBUG, ie
python25_d.dll) in debug mode, I need to do the following: 

 

BoostPythonTest.cpp

#define BOOST_PYTHON_NO_LIB

 

#ifdef _DEBUG

 #define BOOST_DEBUG_PYTHON

 #pragma comment(lib, "boost_python-vc80-mt-gyd-1_35.lib" )

#else

 #pragma comment(lib, "boost_python-vc80-mt-1_35.lib" )

#endif

 

#include <boost/python.hpp>

 

char const* greet()

{

  return "hello, world";

}

 

BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(BoostPythonTest)

{

  using namespace boost::python;

  def("greet", greet);

}

 

  

I've had a look through the auto-linking code in boost and no special
case seems to exist for the debug Python libraries. 

 

Once again, my question is whether this really is what I need to do to
get Boost Python to play nicely with PY_DEBUG debug mode Python? 

 

Thanks for any advice, or general abuse for my misunderstanding on how
to configure boost build properly. 

 

Brian

 

 

 

 

Ps: If you do not do this and link to boost_python-vc80-gd-1_35.lib
instead you get this warning when you try to import your lib into a
debug python interpreter: 

 

    >>> import BoostPythonTest

    Fatal Python error: Interpreter not initialized (version mismatch?)

 

 

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