Some time ago I was looking for a solution on SO how to automatically build BOOST library at CMake configure time. I didn't find a complete solution, but I did find useful part about FetchContent. I wrote a CMake script to do this. But this script created a complete library. Then I extended this script to use the "bcp" tool from BOOST to create only the necessary libraries.
So, How to automatically build the necessary BOOST libraries at CMake configure time?
Here is my solution to build and install only the circular_buffer library (with dependencies) from BOOST:
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
# set common paths
set(EXTERNAL_PROJECTS_DIR "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.external")
set(EXEC_INSTALL_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/EXEC")
# set paths
set(BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR "${EXTERNAL_PROJECTS_DIR}/boost")
set(BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}/repos")
set(BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}/repos-minimal")
set(BOOST_LIB_BUILD_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}/build")
set(BOOST_LIB_FCSTUFF_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}/cmake-fetchcontent-stuff")
cmake_path(GET CMAKE_BINARY_DIR FILENAME CONFIG_NAME)
if (CONFIG_NAME)
set(BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}-install/${CONFIG_NAME}")
else()
set(BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_ROOT_DIR}-install")
endif()
set(BOOST_LIB_INCLUDE_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/include")
set(BOOST_LIB_LIB_DIR "${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/lib")
# set script options and commands for the build
set(BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS "--includedir=${BOOST_LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS "--libdir=${BOOST_LIB_LIB_DIR}")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS "--build-dir=${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_DIR}")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS "--build-type=minimal")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS "--no-cmake-config")
set(BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES "address-model=64")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES "link=static")
if(${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE} STREQUAL "Debug")
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES "variant=debug")
else()
list(APPEND BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES "variant=release")
endif()
# set bcp module-list
# vvv required modules vvv
set(BCP_MODULE_LIST "build")
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "bootstrap.bat")
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "bootstrap.sh")
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "boostcpp.jam")
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "boost-build.jam")
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "config")
# ^^^ required modules ^^^
# vvv optional modules vvv
list(APPEND BCP_MODULE_LIST "circular_buffer")
# ^^^ optional modules ^^^
# download and unpack BOOST library
include(FetchContent)
FetchContent_Declare(
boost
GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/boostorg/boost.git
GIT_TAG "boost-1.81.0"
PREFIX ${BOOST_LIB_FCSTUFF_DIR}
SOURCE_DIR ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}
)
set(FETCHCONTENT_QUIET OFF CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
FetchContent_GetProperties(boost)
if(NOT boost_POPULATED)
FetchContent_Populate(boost)
endif()
# run build and installation
if(${boost_POPULATED})
if (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL MSVC)
file(GLOB_RECURSE VCVARSALL_LIST "C:/Program Files*/vcvarsall.bat")
list(POP_BACK VCVARSALL_LIST VCVARSALL_FILE)
endif()
file(GLOB B2_EXE_PATH "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}/b2*")
list(LENGTH B2_EXE_PATH B2_EXE_PATH_LENGTH)
if (B2_EXE_PATH_LENGTH EQUAL 0)
if (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL MSVC)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND ${VCVARSALL_FILE} "x64" "&&" ".\\bootstrap.bat" "msvc")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND WIN32)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND ".\\bootstrap.bat" "gcc")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND LINUX)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND "./bootstrap.sh" "gcc")
endif()
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
endif()
file(GLOB BCP_EXE_PATH "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}/dist/bin/bcp*")
list(LENGTH BCP_EXE_PATH BCP_EXE_PATH_LENGTH)
if (BCP_EXE_PATH_LENGTH EQUAL 0)
if (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL MSVC)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND ${VCVARSALL_FILE} "x64" "&&" ".\\b2" "tools/bcp" "toolset=msvc")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND WIN32)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND ".\\b2" "tools/bcp" "toolset=gcc")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND LINUX)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND "./b2" "tools/bcp" "toolset=gcc")
endif()
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
endif()
# check bcp module-list for changes
set(BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME "bcp-module-list-hash")
string(SHA256 BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_NEW "${BCP_MODULE_LIST}")
file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR})
file(TOUCH "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}")
file(READ "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}" BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_OLD)
string(COMPARE EQUAL "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_NEW}" "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_OLD}" BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASHES_ARE_EQUAL)
if (NOT ${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASHES_ARE_EQUAL})
file(REMOVE_RECURSE ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR})
file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR})
file(WRITE "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}" "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_NEW}")
if(WIN32)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND ".\\bcp" "--boost=${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}" ${BCP_MODULE_LIST} "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}")
elseif(LINUX)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND "./bcp" "--boost=${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}" ${BCP_MODULE_LIST} "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}")
endif()
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND}
WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_DIR}/dist/bin"
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
endif()
file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR})
file(TOUCH "${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}")
file(READ "${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}" BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_OLD)
string(COMPARE EQUAL "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_NEW}" "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_OLD}" BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASHES_ARE_EQUAL)
if(NOT ${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASHES_ARE_EQUAL})
file(REMOVE_RECURSE ${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR})
file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR})
file(WRITE "${BOOST_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_FILENAME}" "${BCP_MODULE_LIST_HASH_NEW}")
if (${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL MSVC)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_1 ${VCVARSALL_FILE} "x64" "&&" "bootstrap.bat" "msvc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_2 ${VCVARSALL_FILE} "x64" "&&" "bootstrap.bat" "msvc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_3 ${VCVARSALL_FILE} "x64" "&&" ".\\b2" "toolset=msvc" ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS} ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES} "install")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND WIN32)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_1 ".\\bootstrap.bat" "gcc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_2 ".\\bootstrap.bat" "gcc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_3 ".\\b2" "toolset=gcc" ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS} ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES} "install")
elseif(${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} STREQUAL GNU AND LINUX)
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_1 "./bootstrap.sh" "gcc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_2 "./bootstrap.sh" "gcc")
set(EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_3 "./b2" "toolset=gcc" ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_OPTIONS} ${BOOST_LIB_BUILD_PROPERTIES} "install")
endif()
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_1}
WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}/tools/build"
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_2}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${EXECUTE_PROCESS_COMMAND_3}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${BOOST_LIB_REPOS_MIN_DIR}
COMMAND_ECHO STDOUT
)
endif()
endif()
set(BOOST_INCLUDES "${BOOST_LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}")
if(WIN32)
string(APPEND BOOST_INCLUDES "/boost-1_81")
endif()
file(GLOB_RECURSE BOOST_LIBS "${BOOST_LIB_LIB_DIR}")
Steps taken:
Here is the full version: https://github.com/weenchvd/cmake-build-boost-lib