# Install Boost library on windows



## Steps

1. Make sure `gcc` is the latest, otherwise some unexpected errors might occur.

   On Windows platform, you can install `msys2`, and after update it has all the latest `mingw64` tool chain for building use, which is convenient.

2. Download tar ball from [official website](https://www.boost.org/).

3. Decompress and run `bootstrap.bat`, it generates `b2.exe`

   For linux, run `bootstrap.sh` instead of `bootstrap.bat`

   ```bash
   .\bootstrap.bat
   ```

   

4. Run `b2.exe` with the following options

   ```bash
   .\b2.exe install \
   	--build-type=complete \
   	threading=multi \
   	link=shared \
   	address-model=64 \
   	toolset=gcc \
   	--prefix="D:\procs\boost_1_79_0"
   ```

   Note that `gcc` must have been set already before this, and `prefix` is where to copy the headers and libs to.

   For the day I ran this, `gcc` I used is from `msys2`and its version is `12.0`, the boost library is `1.79.0`.

5. After build with out errors, it should say the following

   ```bash
   ...updated 18043 targets...
   ```




# Install Boost library on Linux



## Steps

1. Make sure `gcc` is installed

2. Download corresponding tar ball from  [official website](https://www.boost.org/).

   We need to pay attention, the `gcc` version should be somewhat applicable to this boost library version.  Otherwise some strange errors come up with compiling.

3. After decompress the tar ball, generate `b2` by using `bootstrap.sh`

   ```bash
   ./bootstrap.sh  --with-libraries=all --with-toolset=gcc
   ```

   

4. Create a directory for building (not to contaminate current source tree structure)

   ```bash
   # Give it a name you want
   # For example, here abs path is: /home/pyrad/swap/boost_1_69_0/PyradBuild
   mkdir PyradBuild
   ```

   

5. Use `b2` to compile, specify a build directory in current folder for generating build files (cache, scripts, ...)

   ```bash
   ./b2 toolset=gcc --build-dir=/home/pyrad/swap/boost_1_69_0/PyradBuild
   ```

   After it finishes, the following message will appear,

   ```bash
   The Boost C++ Libraries were successfully built!
   
   The following directory should be added to compiler include paths:
   
       /home/pyrad/procs/boost_1_72_0
   
   The following directory should be added to linker library paths:
   
       /home/pyrad/procs/boost_1_72_0/stage/lib
   ```

   ***Note***

   如果在上面的命令中指定了选项： `--build-type=complete`, 但没有指定`--layout=<versioned|tagged|system>`，那么编译的时候会报错，原因是在linux中，如果指定了`--build-type=complete`，那么就要加上`--layout=versioned`。但这样做会导致生成的`lib`目录中的库文件（`.so`，`.a`）会带有编译器版本，boost library版本等信息的字符串，如下

   ```bash
   ...
   libboost_math_c99-gcc9-mt-d-x64-1_69.so
   libboost_random-gcc9-mt-d-x64-1_69.so
   libboost_atomic-gcc9-mt-d-x64-1_69.so
   ...
   ```

   这样就会导致`cmake`的时候抱怨使用`find_package`不能找到boost library，实际上`cmake`是试图寻找以下这样的名字

   ```bash
   ...
   libboost_math_c99.so
   libboost_random.so
   libboost_atomic.so
   ...
   ```

   在linux中，`--layout`这个选项的默认值是`system`，即产生的库文件名称不带有编译器版本boost库版本等信息（如上）。

   

6. Install the libraries and header files to a path you specify

   ```bash
   ./b2 install --prefix=<SOME_USER_PATH>
   ```

   因为没有指定`--layout=versioned`，所以生成的目录结构如下

   ```bash
   boost_1_69_0/
   	|---include/
   	|     |---boost/
   	|          |---<all *.hpp headers>
   	|          |---<all_header_filer_folders>
   	|			  
   	|---lib/
   	     |---<all *.so files>
   	     |---<all *.a files>
   ```

   



# Reference

[MinGW编译boost库](https://blog.csdn.net/SUKHOI27SMK/article/details/122931498)