Using Boost in android ndk with windows

Question

I am trying to use boost library with Android ndk in Eclipse with Windows. I tried to follow this tutorial

I am stuck in the step with "bjam" command in cygwin.

bjam --without-python --without-serialization toolset=gcc-android4.4.3 link=static runtime-link=static target-os=linux --stagedir=android

Error: bjam command not found.

What is bjam? Also I used the boost 1.53 along ndk r8e. Can someone help me with this please?

Dhobi

Answer 1

Android NDK is no longer dependent on Cygwin, so you can build Boost with the NDK from within Windows command prompt (cmd).

In order to make Boost.Build find the NDK, edit boost\tools\build\v2\user-config.jam file and append the following text:

import os ;

androidNDKRoot = C:/android-ndk-r8e ; # put the relevant path
 using gcc : android :
     $(androidNDKRoot)/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.7/prebuilt/windows/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-g++ :
     <compileflags>--sysroot=$(androidNDKRoot)/platforms/android-9/arch-arm
     <compileflags>-mthumb
     <compileflags>-Os
     <compileflags>-fno-strict-aliasing
     <compileflags>-O2
     <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
     <compileflags>-g
     <compileflags>-lstdc++
     <compileflags>-I$(androidNDKRoot)/sources/cxx-stl/gnu-libstdc++/4.7/include
     <compileflags>-I$(androidNDKRoot)/sources/cxx-stl/gnu-libstdc++/4.7/libs/armeabi/include
     <compileflags>-D__GLIBC__
     <compileflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
     <compileflags>-D__arm__
     <compileflags>-D_REENTRANT
     <archiver>$(androidNDKRoot)/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.7/prebuilt/windows/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-ar
     <ranlib>$(androidNDKRoot)/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.7/prebuilt/windows/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-ranlib
         ;

Certainly, instead of c:/android-ndk-r8e you have to put the right location of the NDK on your PC.

Besides, you can select more recent platform API, instead of android-9.

Also note that the NDK supplies several tool-chains, and the above settings point to gcc-4.7. If you prefer to build boost with some other tool-chain, change arm-linux-androideabi-4.7 to the relevant path.

After you've put the configuration in user-config.jam, open cmd, cd to the directory where Boost resides, and invoke bootstrap. Then invoke b2 like this (for example):

b2 --without-python --without-serialization threading=multi link=static runtime-link=static toolset=gcc-android target-os=linux threadapi=pthread --stagedir=android stage

UPDATE: As of 11/2015, older NDK toolchains seem to have issues with the newer Boost versions, causing compiler crash, so consider using a more recent compiler. To do this, just change every 4.7 occurrence in the above script to 4.9. Also, it's worth compiling with a more recent Android API (eg. andoroid-9 -> andoroid-16 or so).

Inheritance

D:\android_ndk_with_boost\android-ndk-r8e\sources\boost_1_53_0\tools\build\v2>b2 --without-python --without-serialization threading=multi link=static runtime-li nk=static toolset=gcc-android4.6 target-os=linux threadapi=pthread --stagedir=an droid D:/android_ndk_with_boost/android-ndk-r8e/sources/boost_1_53_0/tools/build/v2/to ols\gcc.jam:78: in gcc.init from module gcc error: toolset gcc initialization: error: provided command 'D:/android_ndk_with_boost/android-ndk-r8e/toolchains/ar m-linux-androideabi-4.6/prebuilt/windows/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-g++' not foun d – Dhobi

@Dhobi What is "toolset=gcc-android4.6"? How did you define that in your user-config.jam? (Use pastebin.com or similar site to put errors.) – Inheritance

Is that a syntax error... Coz we have in android ndk r8e (4.4.3 4.6 and 4.7)... changed the 4.7 to 4.6 in the code you gave me dude.. – Dhobi

Path is the same except for the change in the 4.7 to 4.6 – Dhobi

@Dhobi First of all, I'd recommend you to try and use the config file I posted as is, and invoke b2 as in my example. You can't set "toolset=gcc-android4.6" because there's no "android4.6" version in using section, so either keep it "toolset=gcc-android" or learn Boost.Build syntax: boost.org/boost-build2/doc/html/bbv2/overview/… – Inheritance

@Dhobi As for using gcc4.6 toolchain, you can do this by changing every occurrence of '4.7` to '4.6' in the above user-config.jam. I believe, gnu-libstdc++/4.7 path also has to be changed to gnu-libstdc++/4.6. – Inheritance

Cool... Did that too.. Except for the 4.6 to be changed to 4.7, the error remains the same dude – Dhobi

@Dhobi Post your exact user-config.jam, b2 line and the output to pastebin.com. – Inheritance

pastebin.com/HJ7GSQNW contains the error and user-config.jam .. the command is b2 --without-python --without-serialization threading=multi link=static runtime-link=static toolset=gcc-android target-os=linux threadapi=pthread --stagedir=android... – Dhobi

@Dhobi Does the following path exist on your PC 'D:/android_ndk_with_boost/android-ndk-r8e/toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.7/prebuilt/windows/bin/` ? – Inheritance

Yes dude.... got that one right it was windows-x86_64... After changing that I got the following error... pastebin.com/eByh5cqg – Dhobi

@Dhobi So, you actually build for x64? Then I'm afraid I hardly can assist you. Anyway, try removing "threadapi=pthread" option from b2 line. – Inheritance

Cool... You rock dude!!!! I got the message that 311 targets have been updated... Could you tell me why I had to remove that option?? – Dhobi

@Dhobi For some reason, <threadapi> feature wasn't found. Did it build Boost.Thread at all? You can try adding it explicitly: --with-thread and putting threadapi=pthread back... – Inheritance

Nope I got the same issue ... In pastebin.com/gXuUV8Ea you can find the result... I hope the command is what you meant – Dhobi

Um, why didn't you build Boost.Serialization? Is there any problem? – Harlandharle

@Harlandharle Older NDK versions didn't implement wchar_t-related routines, that was the problem. I don't know what the status of this issue is in the recent NDK. – Inheritance

I use android-ndk-r9d. Boost.Serialization seems to be built successfully, but Boost.Context cannot be built: 'armasm' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. – Harlandharle

@Harlandharle so they support now wide-char, great news. As for Context, I guess the NDK just doesn't have armasm util. – Inheritance

@IgorR. ummm.. I hope we can use all boost feature sometime >< – Harlandharle

When I try this is I get an error: boost_1_55_0/tools/build/v2/kernel\modules.jam:258: in modules.import from module modules error: When loading multiple modules, no specific rules or renaming is allowed It seems to not like the fact that there are a bunch of compile options set in user_config.jam. – Aguilera

Turns out I had space in the path to my NDK, and even putting it in quotes didn't work. Also, the androidNDKRoot variable didn't seem to get dereferenced properly, so I just copy-pasted the actual path instead. – Aguilera

@Aguilera Make sure the syntax is correct (eg. pay attention to the space before semicolon). – Inheritance

@Tomáš Zato It's your program that crashes NDK's C++ compiler (a lot of complex templates?). Try using a more recent NDK toolchain, it might be less buggy. – Inheritance

@IgorR. Wow you must be kidding me. What my program? I was compiling boost with it, not my program. Also I downloaded NDK in Friday, so I don't think it's outdated. – Repellent

@Tomáš Zato Ah, sorry, I thought you use similar script to compile your own apps with boost.build. Anyway, the recommendation is still the same: use more recent toolchain, instead of legacy gcc4.7 (which is supplied with new NDKs for backward compatibility only). – Inheritance