Install and build Boost library in Linux

Question

I'm just following Boost Getting Started article. I've installed with Bjam and I could see include files and library files(.a, .so).

#include <boost/regex.hpp>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main()
{
    std::string line;
    boost::regex pat( "^Subject: (Re: |Aw: )*(.*)" );
}

If I build above code using this command...

g++ -I./boost/include -L./boost/lib -lboost_regex-gcc43-mt -static -o test_boost2 test_boost2.cc

and it vomits...

/tmp/ccJFVVid.o: In function `boost::basic_regex<char, boost::regex_traits<char, boost::cpp_regex_traits<char> > >::assign(char const*, char const*, unsigned int)':
    test_boost2.cc:(.text._ZN5boost11basic_regexIcNS_12regex_traitsIcNS_16cpp_regex_traitsIcEEEEE6assignEPKcS7_j[boost::basic_regex<char, boost::regex_traits<char, boost::cpp_regex_traits<char> > >::assign(char const*, char const*, unsigned int)]+0x22): undefined reference to `boost::basic_regex<char, boost::regex_traits<char, boost::cpp_regex_traits<char> > >::do_assign(char const*, char const*, unsigned int)'
    collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

It was okay under my Windows machine :(

What's wrong?

gcc version 4.3.2 (Debian 4.3.2-1.1)

Linux xxxxxxxx 2.6.26-1-686 #1 SMP Fri Mar 13 18:08:45 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux

Answer 1

sudo apt-get install libboost-regex-dev

Don't bother installing from source where a much more intelligent system can do better.

To compile, just use

g++ -lboost_regex boost.cpp -o boost

To get list of available package names (more parts of boost):

apt-cache search libboost | grep -- -dev

Dislaimer: I assume you use Debian since that's what your GCC version reports.

Answer 2

Your

-L./boost/lib

seems suspect. When you build Boost, the libraries are put into stage/lib directory. Also, the default build process does not create static libraries, so you probably better take -static off the command line. If that does not fix the problem, I suggest you follow the steps at my blog to troubleshoot this.

Answer 3

I found the problem! g++ command problem! :( sorry. If I move back -l option to the end of the line, it does not complain more :)