Re: [Boost-users] [build] Library suffix on mingw/win32

From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-07-06 00:33:52

John Femiani wrote:

> I have used boost for some time on windows with msvc, but I am trying to
> install & use it with mingw-g++.
> I'm no gcc expert, but it seems that ld requires specific extensions for
> libraries, and bjam is not generating the right ones.
> 
> In particular, under mingw, the flag
>    -lboost_unit_test_framework
> Will match
>    boost_unit_test_framework.lib  (the import library for the dll)
> Or
>    libboost_unit_test_framework.a

Use 

        -llibboost_unit_test_framework

> When I am done, under /mingw/lib I have files with names like:
> boost_*.dll
>       boost_*.lib
> libboost_*.lib
> In particular, the static libraries have a '.lib' suffix.

As you see, the unique quirk of Windows is that you have two kinds
of static libraries -- import libs for dlls, and really static
libraries. To grab import libs, use

        -lboost-*

To grab real static libs, use:

        -llibboost-*

> BTW: --toolset=mingw failed to find the mingw toolset, but when I build
> with gcc is seems to know what to do.

This is as expected. The compiler binary is called "g++", so why do you
expect "toolset=mingw" to be used?

- Volodya