Re: [boost] [build] Algorithm for setting PATH when a 'run' or 'run-fail'

On 8/18/2015 9:51 AM, Paul A. Bristow wrote:

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-----Original Message----- From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of Edward Diener Sent: 17 August 2015 21:04 To: boost@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost] [build] Algorithm for setting PATH when a 'run' or 'run-fail'

On 8/17/2015 4:18 AM, Paul A. Bristow wrote:

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-----Original Message----- From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of Edward Diener Sent: 12 August 2015 01:16 To: boost@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost] [build] Algorithm for setting PATH when a 'run' or 'run-fail'

On 8/11/2015 2:33 PM, Edward Diener wrote:

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What is the algorithm for setting a PATH on Windows when the 'run' or 'run-fail' rule occurs in a jamfile ?

<big snip>

Sigh - what a shambles :-(

I'm amazed that you still have the will to live!

<g>. Actually I just like to test Boost code on Windows with something other than any of the 6 different VC++ releases ( 2008 through 2015 ) I could use ( well let's applaud Microsoft for putting out 6 different releases in 7 years ). I know that gcc and clang are technically better C++ standard conforming compilers than VC++ and I am too much comfortable with Windows to use any of the Linux distros I could also run very much.

Have you any experience of using http://tdm-gcc.tdragon.net/about or do you use mingw-builds or mingw-64?

Prior to mingw-64 I used mostly mingw/gcc from Sourceforge with an occasional foray into TDM. With mingw-64 I use the all-purpose mingw-w64-install.exe program, which works quite nicely. I have found mingw-64 to be better than mingw, but all mingw(-64)/gcc implementations have the problem I described where you can't even compile/link by just invoking 'some_mingw_gcc_implementation_path/bin/g++ command_line_parameters...' but must either do it from within the 'some_mingw_gcc_implementation_path/bin' directory or have the 'some_mingw_gcc_implementation_path/bin' in the Windows PATH. It is absolutely fruitless arguing with the mingw(-64) people that this restriction should not be necessary. These people are absolutely brain-dead if you argue against their "chosen way", ie. they chose it so it must be technically right.

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No doubt the clang jam file should be updated to somehow automatically prepend a mingw(-64)/gcc RTL implementation specified by the user to the Windows PATH for the 'run' and 'run-fail' situations. If I really knew bjam, rather than having just dabbled at it, I could probably do this. But I have never really studied bjam and Boost build, and like others, have just dabbled at it long enough to do a few really simple things. The syntax still bothers me as well as the difficulty of actually understanding how things work and what functionality is available.

Would asking on the Boost-build for help from Bjam Gurus help?

No, such questions are never answered on that mailing list. Even simpler questions I ask there are usually unanswered. The assumption appears to be that if you want answers, beyond what is in the documentation, you need either a very specific case or you need to understand bjam and study the actual Boost build distributed jam files which make up the system.

Lots of things are possible - if you know how.

I am sure. I need the energy and will to understand Boost build and bjam but somehow lack it.