Re: [Boost-users] CMake thoughts

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] CMake thoughts
From: Fabio Fracassi (f.fracassi_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-06-07 06:48:57

Robert Bielik schrieb:
> Fabio Fracassi skrev:
>> This is not true. The most commonly used CMake way is to use 
>> FindBoost.cmake (which comes with cmake) via find_package(Boost).
>> and thus include and link to an installed version of boost.
> 
> Ok, its not *the* way, but when working in x-platform development 
> (win/mac/linux) and you just want to checkout the
> source tree and have everything "work" directly (and not worry about 
> what packages to install to make the project compile), its the best way 
> imho.

I still don't agree, because you are intermingling separate modules, 
with the consequence that you impose certain requirements on those 
modules (i.e. you need them to build in a certain way, which is probably 
the reason for your orgiginal post).

Using find_package doesn't preclude you from doing a single checkout, 
and have everything work. All you need to do is set the correct search 
path ( set (CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH <your_path>) ) before using find_package.
Additionally you have a script (you can use CMake for this, too) which
builds all your (external) modules in the right order.

This is a bit more work to setup, but each module can be build and 
installed the way it is supposed to be, and work transparently.
Additionally you gain a lot of flexibility, for example to test new 
versions of your external dependencies.

> Working on linux I see that your described way is the normal way.

The same works on Windows, just as well (and I see no reason why it 
shouldn't work on Mac, though I haven't tried yet). Arguably it is
somewhat easier on Linux, because of its superior package management.

Regards

Fabio