c++boost.gif (8819 bytes)Building Boost Libraries

Read This First!

Boost.Build is fairly new as yet.  Some features are missing or incomplete. Instructions for accomplishing basic tasks (this page) are rudimentary.  But enough functionality is working well to make using Boost.Build worthwhile.  The important bits-and-pieces are all there - what's left is some of the relatively minor glue to make the system smooth and easy to use. Secondary tasks like copying libraries to installation specific directories are weak.

If there isn't a configuration file (see Tools) available for your favorite compiler, consider contributing one.

Note that the underlying Boost.Jam build engine is mature software, and the original Jam build engine has been widely used for many years.  The Boost specific extensions are well on their way to becoming stable, and have begun to attract interest and use outside of Boost.

Introduction
Preliminaries
Building Boost Libraries
More on using the tools
Tools available
Boost.Jam executable

Introduction

These instructions explain how to accomplish common tasks using Boost.Build, the Boost Build System.  The build system uses Boost.Jam, an extension of the Perforce Jam portable make replacement.

For tasks not covered here, see the full build system documentation.

Note that many Boost libraries are implemented entirely within their headers, and so can be used without building object libraries.  Libraries that do require building object libraries first include the Boost Python, Regular Expression, and Thread libraries.

Preliminaries

Building Boost Libraries

Using your operating system's command line interpreter, execute the following steps.  The sample commands given will work for both UNIX and Windows.

More on using the tools

The build system's toolsets are designed to work in either of two ways:

  1. The user sets up all of the environment for each toolset he wants to use, in the normal way. For example, for Microsoft VC++, ...vc98/bin is in the path, vcvars32.bat or equivalent has been invoked, etc. For Metrowerks CodeWarrior, cwenv.bat or equivalent has been called and ...Other Metrowerks Tools/Command Line Tools is in the path.

  2. The user doesn't want his environment cluttered with this junk and wants to avoid the many other things done by the vendor's script files. Instead, he or she sets variables which point to the toolset installation directories (possibly in the Jamrules, or a user-setup.jam file invoked by the Jamrules). These variables are used by the build system to locate the tools and invoke the necessary setup. They are described in the comments in each toolset's .jam file.

Tools available

TOOLS Name Description
borland Borland command line compiler tools
como Comeau command line compiler tools
gcc GNU GCC command line compiler tools
gcc-stlport GNU GCC command line compiler tools, using the STLport library
intel-win32 Intel command line compiler tools under Win32 using the Microsoft library
intel-linux Intel command line compiler tools under Linux
kcc KAI command line compiler tools
metrowerks Metrowerks CodeWarrior command line compiler tools
msvc Microsoft Visual C++ command line compiler tools
msvc-stlport Microsoft Visual C++ command line compiler tools, using the STLport library
vacpp IBM Visual Age C++ command line compiler tools

Unless otherwise specified, the library is assumed to be the one shipped with the compiler.

Additional tools can be supplied by adding an appropriate xxxx-tools.jam file to the tools/build subdirectory, where xxxx is the name of the tool being added.  If you write an additional toolset file, please submit it to Boost so others may benefit from your work.

Boost.Jam executable

Pre-built Boost.Jam executables are available for the following platforms:

RedHat Linux RPM packages are available:

The Boost.Jam source files are included in the Boost distribution, so you can build the Boost.Jam executable yourself:


Revised 28 November, 2001

© Copyright 2001 Beman Dawes