Already successfully running Boost on Linux, looking for advice from Windows Boost adopters
Some weeks ago, Boost caught my attention, and I am now a more than satisfied user. The assistance received in this forum is one of the factors in my "two thumbs up" evaluation of Boost. Give yourselves a round of applause. :^) Since I can't help but getting into progressively harder stuff (i.e., getting into trouble), I am considering using Boost on the Windows side. My background is Unix development but I have been teaching myself Visual C++ lately. I mostly build and integrate stuff written by other programmers. I am trying to decide whether I should delve deeper into Boost on the Linux side (which is quickly becoming a walk in the park), or take the plunge into Windows. Are there gotchas or caveats? Can I just download Boost and select "Build solution"? My current platform is Visual Studio, Version 8 (2005). I don't intend to upgrade it until I have no choice. I have found that to be a safe policy -better safe than sorry-, specially when the software comes from Redmond. -Ramon
Okay, I already discovered BoostPro and I am downloading it. Seems to be a very useful resource targeted to Windows programmers ("for now", they claim). I hurry to add that I am currently using only these 3 libraries: - Regex - Time and Date - Filesystem ("System" is pre-required by one of those). But, I am looking with much interest into the rest of the pack. Again, feedback from fellow Windows developers is most welcome... -Ramon Ramon F Herrera wrote:
Some weeks ago, Boost caught my attention, and I am now a more than satisfied user. The assistance received in this forum is one of the factors in my "two thumbs up" evaluation of Boost. Give yourselves a round of applause. :^)
Since I can't help but getting into progressively harder stuff (i.e., getting into trouble), I am considering using Boost on the Windows side. My background is Unix development but I have been teaching myself Visual C++ lately. I mostly build and integrate stuff written by other programmers.
I am trying to decide whether I should delve deeper into Boost on the Linux side (which is quickly becoming a walk in the park), or take the plunge into Windows. Are there gotchas or caveats? Can I just download Boost and select "Build solution"?
My current platform is Visual Studio, Version 8 (2005). I don't intend to upgrade it until I have no choice. I have found that to be a safe policy -better safe than sorry-, specially when the software comes from Redmond.
-Ramon
Ramon F Herrera wrote:
- Regex - Time and Date
Heh...... Regex and Date_Time are two of the (few) non-header only ones. You're probably going to run into the same artifact I was complaining about earlier today.... there seems to be something funky about the 1.39 edition (which I downloaded from Boost Pro), wherein it makes Visual Studio a tad wacky. I never had that happen with 1.35 (which I had been using). This morning I spent a couple hours fighting with the build utilities to get 1.40 (the latest, in source, which BoostPro doesn't have in binary form) to compile into .lib and .dll files. The directions are accurate, but terse. If you've had *nix experience though, you should be OK (it's all done from the command line).
Eric J. Holtman wrote:
Ramon F Herrera wrote:
- Regex - Time and Date
Heh...... Regex and Date_Time are two of the (few) non-header only ones.
Oops, I forgot to add THE reason for considering Boost on Windows. That tool alone is worth getting Boost. I am talking about ASIO. I still find hard to believe that I am the proud authors of clients and servers (at the native code level, that is). Such skill had eluded me for years and had to use 3rd. party (such as Oracle's) stuff written by others. My current main need is to port a client that already runs on Linux to the Windows side. Both client and server runs flawlessly (thunderous hoorays to the ASIO authors!) on the Linux side. My initial perception of the Windows port is less than overwhelming. Maybe I should try some precompiled Windows distro. -Ramon
AMDG Ramon F Herrera wrote:
Oops, I forgot to add THE reason for considering Boost on Windows. That tool alone is worth getting Boost. I am talking about ASIO. I still find hard to believe that I am the proud authors of clients and servers (at the native code level, that is). Such skill had eluded me for years and had to use 3rd. party (such as Oracle's) stuff written by others.
My current main need is to port a client that already runs on Linux to the Windows side. Both client and server runs flawlessly (thunderous hoorays to the ASIO authors!) on the Linux side.
Asio is header only, so the minimum setup required is Download a Boost distribution Unzip it Set the include paths for the compiler Go.
My initial perception of the Windows port is less than overwhelming.
Maybe I should try some precompiled Windows distro.
The BoostPro installer includes precompiled binaries. In Christ, Steven Watanabe
Steven Watanabe wrote:
Asio is header only, so the minimum setup required is Download a Boost distribution Unzip it Set the include paths for the compiler Go.
Right. There's not a single flag you have to set anywhere in any solution you use (if you're doing header only).
The BoostPro installer includes precompiled binaries.
That is correct.
You're probably going to run into the same artifact I was complaining about earlier today.... there seems to be something funky about the 1.39 edition (which I downloaded from Boost Pro), wherein it makes Visual Studio a tad wacky.
I never had that happen with 1.35 (which I had been using).
This morning I spent a couple hours fighting with the build utilities to get 1.40 (the latest, in source, which BoostPro doesn't have in binary form) to compile into .lib and .dll files.
Getting boost to build on windows when you have msvc is straightforward and can be done from the command line: * download boost from * https://sourceforge.net/projects/boost/files/ * unzip the file into a directory... for v1.40 it will be boost_1_40_0 * download windows precompiled bjam (the zip file) from: * https://sourceforge.net/projects/boost/files/boost-jam/ * unzip the file and move the bjam.exe program into the root of your boost expansion.. boost_1_40_0 * run something like the following to build a multi-threaded, static linked version of boost: * bjam --layout=versioned --toolset=msvc-9.0 variant=debug threading=multi link=static runtime-link=static stage * the sub-directory .\stage will have the libraries * to get help on further options (for dll, release, single-threading, ...) * bjam --help -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
AMDG Ramon F Herrera wrote:
Okay, I already discovered BoostPro and I am downloading it. Seems to be a very useful resource targeted to Windows programmers ("for now", they claim).
I hurry to add that I am currently using only these 3 libraries:
- Regex - Time and Date - Filesystem
("System" is pre-required by one of those).
But, I am looking with much interest into the rest of the pack.
Again, feedback from fellow Windows developers is most welcome...
It should work without much difficulty as long as you only use default build settings. If you need a more customized build (i.e. /D_SECURE_SCL=0) you will need to rebuild the libraries with the same settings.
Ramon F Herrera wrote:
<snip> I am trying to decide whether I should delve deeper into Boost on the Linux side (which is quickly becoming a walk in the park), or take the plunge into Windows. Are there gotchas or caveats? Can I just download Boost and select "Build solution"?
You'll need to set include and library paths in the IDE first.
My current platform is Visual Studio, Version 8 (2005). I don't intend to upgrade it until I have no choice. I have found that to be a safe policy -better safe than sorry-, specially when the software comes from Redmond.
Boost supports msvc 8 pretty well. I don't see any serious problem here. In Christ, Steven Watanabe
I have a quick feedback. AFAIAC and with all due respect, Boost on the Windows side is not ready for prime time. As an example: I registered in the BoostPro site, downloaded the installer and ran it. It looks spiffy: I got the choice to select among the myriad Windows options (DLL, multi-thread, debug, etc.). I selected "MSVC++ 2005" and yet got a hodgepodge of older and newer Visual Studio solutions. The newer ones are not recognized my IDE. Having said that, I am quite impressed by the BoostPro initiative, and it is reassuring to see that the boost founders are part of it. I am sure we will see great things from them. As I grow old^H^H^H, err- wiser, I tend not to be on the "bleeding edge". I definitely won't be among the cowboys up front fending the indians (pardon: native Americans, but armed with arrows). The Uni*x version builds and works great, though. -Ramon "Never use version 1.0 of anything" Herrera Ramon F Herrera wrote:
Some weeks ago, Boost caught my attention, and I am now a more than satisfied user. The assistance received in this forum is one of the factors in my "two thumbs up" evaluation of Boost. Give yourselves a round of applause. :^)
Since I can't help but getting into progressively harder stuff (i.e., getting into trouble), I am considering using Boost on the Windows side. My background is Unix development but I have been teaching myself Visual C++ lately. I mostly build and integrate stuff written by other programmers.
I am trying to decide whether I should delve deeper into Boost on the Linux side (which is quickly becoming a walk in the park), or take the plunge into Windows. Are there gotchas or caveats? Can I just download Boost and select "Build solution"?
My current platform is Visual Studio, Version 8 (2005). I don't intend to upgrade it until I have no choice. I have found that to be a safe policy -better safe than sorry-, specially when the software comes from Redmond.
-Ramon
AMDG Ramon F Herrera wrote:
I have a quick feedback. AFAIAC and with all due respect, Boost on the Windows side is not ready for prime time.
As an example: I registered in the BoostPro site, downloaded the installer and ran it. It looks spiffy: I got the choice to select among the myriad Windows options (DLL, multi-thread, debug, etc.). I selected "MSVC++ 2005" and yet got a hodgepodge of older and newer Visual Studio solutions. The newer ones are not recognized my IDE.
Which solutions are you referring to? You shouldn't need any to use Boost on Windows. You should just be able to use the pre-built libraries.
Having said that, I am quite impressed by the BoostPro initiative, and it is reassuring to see that the boost founders are part of it. I am sure we will see great things from them.
As I grow old^H^H^H, err- wiser, I tend not to be on the "bleeding edge". I definitely won't be among the cowboys up front fending the indians (pardon: native Americans, but armed with arrows).
The Uni*x version builds and works great, though.
In Christ, Steven Watanabe
Ramon F Herrera wrote:
I have a quick feedback. AFAIAC and with all due respect, Boost on the Windows side is not ready for prime time.
As an example: I registered in the BoostPro site, downloaded the installer and ran it. It looks spiffy: I got the choice to select among the myriad Windows options (DLL, multi-thread, debug, etc.). I selected "MSVC++ 2005" and yet got a hodgepodge of older and newer Visual Studio solutions. The newer ones are not recognized my IDE.
Having said that, I am quite impressed by the BoostPro initiative, and it is reassuring to see that the boost founders are part of it. I am sure we will see great things from them.
As I grow old^H^H^H, err- wiser, I tend not to be on the "bleeding edge". I definitely won't be among the cowboys up front fending the indians (pardon: native Americans, but armed with arrows).
The Uni*x version builds and works great, though.
-Ramon "Never use version 1.0 of anything" Herrera
Ramon - FWIW, there have been similar discussions on IRC about the BoostPro Windows package. Boost on Windows works just fine. You are having issues with an installer. Just download the official release (like you did for linux) and build it locally. The process is not really painful and you will be better off in the long run. If you have problems building just drop an email to the list or join us on IRC and we will help you work through any issues. Best regards - michael -- ---------------------------------- Michael Caisse Object Modeling Designs www.objectmodelingdesigns.com
Ramon F Herrera wrote:
Some weeks ago, Boost caught my attention, and I am now a more than satisfied user. The assistance received in this forum is one of the factors in my "two thumbs up" evaluation of Boost. Give yourselves a round of applause. :^)
Since I can't help but getting into progressively harder stuff (i.e., getting into trouble), I am considering using Boost on the Windows side.
If you're coming from Unix development, it should be a piece of cake. Just download the tarball/zipfile, unpack and use the Getting Started guide to build from the command-line.
My background is Unix development but I have been teaching myself Visual C++ lately. I mostly build and integrate stuff written by other programmers. I am trying to decide whether I should delve deeper into Boost on the Linux side (which is quickly becoming a walk in the park), or take the plunge into Windows. Are there gotchas or caveats? Can I just download Boost and select "Build solution"?
No. Were you able to do that under Linux? Sorry, but I just can't understand why people in general associate Windows development with IDEs only.
My current platform is Visual Studio, Version 8 (2005). I don't intend to upgrade it until I have no choice.
I've been using vc8 exclusively with Boost until now, when I've just started out using vc9 in parallel. No real need to update. The only real showstopper I can seem to remember with vc8 is failure to properly export some symbols from filesystem when compiling as a dll (Boost c:a 1.34). Don't know if that's fixed in vc8sp1, or worked around in later Boost versions. Probably is.
I have found that to be a safe policy -better safe than sorry-, specially when the software comes from Redmond.
Hmmm. There are actually a few developers around that are successfully delivering C++ software developed with Boost as one of the tools under multiple operating systems, using multiple toolsets. Every tool and platform has it's own set of problems. I don't believe prejudices (or, personal opinions) such as stated above will help you in getting their attention. Just my 0.02EUR. Why not just try it out and get back with specific problems/questions on the Boost.Build mailing list? Best regards, Johan
participants (7)
-
Eric J. Holtman -
Igor R -
Johan Nilsson -
Michael Caisse -
Ramon F Herrera -
Ray Burkholder -
Steven Watanabe