CMake: undefined reference to boost library

Question

I added boost via this:

set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS        ON) 
set(Boost_USE_MULTITHREADED      ON)
set(Boost_USE_STATIC_RUNTIME    OFF)
find_package(Boost REQUIRED)
include_directories(${Boost_INCLUDE_DIR})

project(APP C CXX)
add_executable(APP src.cpp)
target_link_libraries(APP ${Boost_LIBRARIES})

And when I compiled source, I got:

demo.cpp:(.text+0x3d3): undefined reference to `boost::system::generic_category()'

I checked spelling (Boost_LIBRARIES vs BOOST_LIBRARIES) but it's ok.

I installed boost in Fedora with the package boost-devel.

It should be path to static boost lib ( https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.0/module/FindBoost.html ) — dev1223, Sep 15 '16 at 14:23
there is no "one" static boost lib. And can you print it and not what it "should be"? — Hayt, Sep 15 '16 at 14:24

rocambille · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-15T14:33:54.807

7

Looking in the source code, Boost_LIBRARIES is filled according to the component list passed to find_package. Try:

find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS system)

You should also use imported targets:

set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS        ON)
set(Boost_USE_MULTITHREADED      ON)
set(Boost_USE_STATIC_RUNTIME    OFF)
find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS system)

# the call to include_directories is now useless:
# the Boost::system imported target used below
# embeds the include directories

project(APP C CXX)
add_executable(APP src.cpp)
target_link_libraries(APP Boost::system)

edited Sep 15 '16 at 14:33

answered Sep 15 '16 at 14:22

rocambille

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cmake fail to locate boost_system ... I have installed boost-system but boost-system-dev doesn't exists – dev1223 Sep 15 '16 at 14:27
3

just for others: the link syntax `Boost::` will automatically add the include directory to your target. That is why `include_directories` is "useless" here – Hayt Sep 15 '16 at 14:29
@Seraph to use the library you need the "-dev" version while building – Hayt Sep 15 '16 at 14:29
boost-system have no -dev version (or fedora doesn't have it ...) – dev1223 Sep 15 '16 at 14:30
After setting set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS OFF) instead of ON, it works, but it uses shared lib right? So boost is not embedded in app ? – dev1223 Sep 15 '16 at 14:31
1

@Hayt you're right, less ambiguous with the explanation. I edited my answer – rocambille Sep 15 '16 at 14:35
1

@Seraph It seems that you need to install a package named [`boost-static`](http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/rpminfo?rpmID=7915998). – llonesmiz Sep 15 '16 at 17:37

CMake: undefined reference to boost library

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