Stefan Seefeld wrote:
I know about these tricks (I use something similar to set up my Boost.Python CI environment), but consider them hacks as they don't really solve the fundamental requests, which are:
* I want to be able to build a given Boost library stand-alone, with nothing but the library's repo being checked out. (In other words: prerequisite Boost components should be assumed pre-installed.)
Why is this so important for you? The difference is just one superproject shell and one tools/build. Is this a matter of principle, or are there technical reasons? Anyway. Boost.Build actually supports this use case: sudo yum install boost-jam sudo yum install boost-build git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/boostorg/python cd python touch Jamroot bjam test The first error here is IMPORT error: rule "requires" unknown in module "../../config/checks/config" because we don't have Boost.Config checked out as a sibling here. When I comment out your use of ../../config/checks/config in test/Jamfile, it errors out with rule numpy_test unknown Trying to build with bjam build fails with rule py-version unknown Both of these errors are because these rules don't exist in the 1.53 python.jam. So frankly, I'm not sure how do you suggest this needs to be addressed. On one hand, you want to use the system Boost.Build, and on the other, your Jamfiles depend on features that aren't present in it. This simply cannot work, your desires are contradictory.