[pkg-boost-devel] Packaging RC_1_34_0 and/or whole Boost distribution

[Steve M. Robbins]

On Fri, Jan 19, 2007 at 06:32:38PM +0800, Dean Michael Berris wrote:
> Hi Steve!
> 
> On 1/19/07, Steve M. Robbins <steve at sumost.ca> wrote:
> >
> >I gather that you are after Boost.Build.  Does the package
> >boost-build satisfy your requirements?
> >
> >-Steve
> >
> 
> Boost build does give me the rules like "unit-test" among other
> things, but I mean something that will allow me to do something like
> this in my Jamfile:
> 
>  use-project /boost : /path/to/boost/root ;
> 
>  exe my_target : my_target.cpp /boost//filesystem /boost//serialization ;
> 
> This assumes that /path/to/boost/root contains a Jamfile.
> 
> BTW, I am using BBv2.

OK.  Despite having packaged boost in the past, I have little actual
experience with it.  And no experience with Boost.Build.  While I
can't speak for the other boost maintainers, your explanation has gone
right over my head.  ;-)

It sounds like you are suggesting that libboost-dev ought to be
installing a Jamfile somewhere.  Given that we "install" the boost
headers and library files, is the Jamfile that comes with the boost
source workable or is it a Jamfile that needs to be modified to
reflect the install paths (/usr/include/boost and /usr/lib)?  If the
latter, could you provide a working example?

 
> For the meantime I've chosen to package the boost libraries that my
> projects require along with it using bcp -- but that's not the most
> elegant solution.
> 
> The question then would be if it would be possible if there was a
> package which contains the whole boost distribution? Something like
> boost-all that contains a complete Boost distribution?

The feeling of the initial packagers is that few projects would use
more than a few of the boost libraries.  Rather, you need to depend on
libboost-dev, plus a handful of others like libboost-filesystem-dev,
etc.

What you propose is certainly possible.  My suggestion is that you
write up a wishlist bug and argue the case there.

-Steve