Monday, October 03, 2011

Installation of Boost.Python on Mac OS X

With the current MacPorts version of Boost 1.47.0, I can't follow the Boost.Python installation instructions. I installed the three relevant ports, boost +python27, boost-build, and boost-jam. The installation instructions recommend using the python/quickstart directory, and the include paths in the Jamfile don't exist. The Jamfile in the port is even missing the "import python" statement necessary to load the python-extension rule. The lesson is that it's OK to give up on a MacPorts installation when you are using an unusual feature.

Install boost-1.47.0 from source. Given that there is already a MacPorts installation, whose default install directory is /opt/local, put the boost_1_47_0 directory directly into /opt as /opt/boost_1_47_0. Follow build instructions to make boost's bjam and b2, so that the whole lot end up in /opt/bin, /opt/include, and /opt/lib. My build command was:

sudo ./bootstrap.sh --with-bjam=/opt/local/bin/bjam --with-toolset=darwin --with-python=/opt/local/bin/python2.7 --prefix=/opt --without-libraries=mpi,regex

I was trying to use the MacPorts bjam, but Boost built its own, anyway, which turns out to be good because it builds the newer b2 version of bjam. Boost.Python defaults to the Mac OS X default Python, so why not specify your favorite version? Then return to the Boost.Python installation instructions. I had to set the path so that the newer Boost is earlier:

export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/lib
export PATH=/opt/bin:$PATH

There are still going to be errors about conflicts with isspace and other functions in localfwd.h. These come from a conflict with newer definitions in pyports.h that are designed to handle UTF-8. I got around these by installing MacPorts port for gcc45. Then, in the Jamroot of the sample directory, add:

using darwin : 4.5.3 : g++-mp-4.5 ;

The darwin import is derived from the gcc import, so you can give it pretty much the same options. In this case, it points directly to g++. Once this is done, you can run "sudo bjam" in the quickstart directory to build Boost.Python. This will build the libboost_python library so you can now run without using sudo in your project's working directory.

Still not done. If you are using Numpy arrays in Boost.Python, then you need to include the correct headers, meaning '#include "numpy/arrayobject.h"'. These are installed in a separate place on my Mac, again likely by MacPorts, but can be found by a change to the python-extension rule.

python-extension myproject : file.cpp
: /opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/numpy/core/include ;

How do you find these things? Use the Mac's whole-machine find command on the command-line.

mdfind -name arrayobject.h -onlyin /opt

In the end, the boost-build.jam contains "boost-build /opt/boost_1_47_0/tools/build/v2 ;" and the project Jamroot uses "use-project boost : /opt/boost_1_47_0".

HTH,
Drew