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I am trying to install boost using cmake for my project. From a little study I found that one of the recommended ways to install boost libraries is to use the cmake command find_package (How do you add Boost libraries in CMakeLists.txt?). Below is the command I added in my cmake file

find_package(Boost 1.78 REQUIRED COMPONENTS filesystem nowide)

However, when cmake generates the cache file, it downloads and builds way more boost libraries(if not all) than that are listed above. See the outputs from the commandline below:

1> [CMake]   * boost-algorithm[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-algorithm\eca5eb57117afd2c43e7f00ed6908dabb254b46e
1> [CMake]   * boost-align[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-align\1733cf10f4a598f29af7380a6b8226abdeeb3f75
1> [CMake]   * boost-array[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-array\8278959d326c44d846d660462556ab48361054f9
1> [CMake]   * boost-asio[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-asio\2fcf35cb168a6a2aa56208a83fb71bfdf88672b6
1> [CMake]   * boost-assert[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-assert\81b29f057d38140b3d812094999772d2d5263d4e
1> [CMake]   * boost-atomic[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-atomic\f516c90064f41a11fe7627ab6a8ac281455f55cc
1> [CMake]   * boost-bind[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-bind\165c77e05b1d413a600f66135276ba7e727ebc35
1> [CMake]   * boost-build[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0#1 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-build\cf970c17a4bf6d59deff7ce7e7eb98cec74b544a
1> [CMake]   * boost-chrono[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-chrono\d08ea7bd6fb471393e10507f0b6d27d045868f3e
1> [CMake]   * boost-concept-check[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-concept-check\d92ec4f75e3ca2046f7cc6bd42e394aa642dea7b
1> [CMake]   * boost-config[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-config\b4958f142255c3aa14f1f39d04edcc12b6262745
1> [CMake]   * boost-container[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-container\cba0ae7cefffcca3cc1a0aec45ec07a66f6cc413
1> [CMake]   * boost-container-hash[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-container-hash\5c9a0efa908886517e39510cffaebe78df8bac17
1> [CMake]   * boost-context[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-context\c279fc4862dbbc9b4c685d16d1abee7200f9dff4
1> [CMake]   * boost-conversion[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-conversion\ed01d578d9964b2be3619cd7e96c6f65dc206275
1> [CMake]   * boost-core[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-core\b6d811257b985253c87570f25a75957689b2b895
1> [CMake]   * boost-coroutine[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-coroutine\d462e16750c6769375391d1e1c084999000cb324
1> [CMake]   * boost-date-time[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-date-time\76bf565e940322a7d3110edf1b18fb4bfd8a1ab0
1> [CMake]   * boost-detail[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-detail\61c65e46d0bf619e44cf343d734dda6987f53005
1> [CMake]   * boost-exception[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-exception\02b0e67c7d9b5e26b1bccef1fba3152fe7ead595
1> [CMake]     boost-filesystem[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-filesystem\f7f7b3bf671f25f6234f81de59fb5dc169ea2480
1> [CMake]   * boost-function[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-function\74d9b1e1e9951fe6f6f4eeccddf8c83ff1280462
1> [CMake]   * boost-function-types[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-function-types\94d4dd365c29ad1be2d148f3c4cf7857e3ac1edd
1> [CMake]   * boost-fusion[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-fusion\a7c7b4de2e38c3436c0781ccf4b56567b8c2ae61
1> [CMake]   * boost-integer[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-integer\18f2f923e2a8d4f026787eb8626def460dd2ab6a
1> [CMake]   * boost-intrusive[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-intrusive\351ad9aa5db5bf50ab87a390a69d5df1d2b41ab7
1> [CMake]   * boost-io[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-io\33cc953c79a65bcdfdd7b55a757bf3f4ac4be4bf
1> [CMake]   * boost-iterator[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-iterator\474aefb2b63e5ea3e6794631eab47aa3d6921573
1> [CMake]   * boost-lexical-cast[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-lexical-cast\984ca6d42fd857c08fa915edc02bfcecb02cc343
1> [CMake]   * boost-modular-build-helper[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0#2 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-modular-build-helper\9400b3bfdc93a165b3b509a76c59107c020113a6
1> [CMake]   * boost-move[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-move\a2b516a6391277e0c72147caf8c6677c92bff2a8
1> [CMake]   * boost-mp11[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-mp11\06e8d1438943e47b1b4282964a0d290461ba3387
1> [CMake]   * boost-mpl[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-mpl\a8b09063ef7fce74a9bfc52625ea7bf285cf4a82
1> [CMake]     boost-nowide[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-nowide\c38c862892bc328c743481ee48b3abf50e66a51f
1> [CMake]   * boost-numeric-conversion[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-numeric-conversion\11dcb5d23dd6b1db7138ffe608d76134ce1e4ec5
1> [CMake]   * boost-optional[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-optional\4171d6f66bb828d51bee3de777da9384232b6068
1> [CMake]   * boost-pool[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-pool\8c0061ca841cab5b588ebae9bd1387882eec3435
1> [CMake]   * boost-predef[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-predef\1865984507efa465dea0f7d597528cfedcef0b7e
1> [CMake]   * boost-preprocessor[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-preprocessor\e69da51c3ec0a8086ab18dbf75da11649aed5157
1> [CMake]     boost-process[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-process\669ff76873e507b50238609e17bb0208559cd224
1> [CMake]   * boost-range[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-range\1ec82281ed52b6d4ae225abe93a18392c846cbc9
1> [CMake]   * boost-ratio[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-ratio\a5e0af272c7df2d7994c6d98ad1d76df6b5330f7
1> [CMake]   * boost-rational[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-rational\2a2877b20057e313af02d1307832d90f764b2dc1
1> [CMake]   * boost-regex[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-regex\f04cda8dcb436a4cfaa008331d05ef2d0974b698
1> [CMake]   * boost-smart-ptr[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-smart-ptr\18806e0372da7b7f8b2d6a8ff4bd7bf074a690cd
1> [CMake]   * boost-static-assert[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-static-assert\0d1e3a21f0be997c400b7c60dc2ec1b1beccbe3c
1> [CMake]   * boost-system[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-system\eaab2373181b829bf4cb4ee298dfc9c80e98f01f
1> [CMake]   * boost-throw-exception[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-throw-exception\2ab1c68ab2a41696a5f36841a66178256b8d229e
1> [CMake]   * boost-tokenizer[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-tokenizer\24c6aef67afefb01d20749d7b43790efcb1dfc66
1> [CMake]   * boost-tuple[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-tuple\da0a88c5630fa116b473e02aae6651199529649e
1> [CMake]   * boost-type-index[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-type-index\fac6a10bb329da6cd19cfde9534ef11b3edb8623
1> [CMake]   * boost-type-traits[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-type-traits\8ce0cad0c57f4acd5da2369894a0db64b918ac41
1> [CMake]   * boost-typeof[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-typeof\478fadf37863e72ec547e1a7620da6a28cc85c7d
1> [CMake]   * boost-uninstall[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-uninstall\996078abceb6009fb2841dd97edc5246e8bd38aa
1> [CMake]   * boost-unordered[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-unordered\c55ee280fedefd69dba819a4d768d5a5e132f9b9
1> [CMake]   * boost-utility[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-utility\4e39c1737260328064c10b743aba90788efc467a
1> [CMake]   * boost-variant2[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-variant2\30915b5f5005d9b166f4349f493b4f7314d84c17
1> [CMake]   * boost-vcpkg-helpers[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0#1 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-vcpkg-helpers\2b601d13ad505473bac3d555d9e543d981c46565
1> [CMake]   * boost-winapi[core]:x64-windows -> 1.78.0 -- C:\tools\vcpkg\buildtrees\versioning_\versions\boost-winapi\8492201c09a250964609eea910b3d37c9895d411

Is there a way to only build the listed boost libraries in my find_package command?

Optimus Prime
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    There is no way to do this from cmake / find_package. I see you are using vcpkg, you should hava a look at vcpkg documentation to see if its possible to compile only required components an dependencies. – Dredok Mar 01 '22 at 17:24
  • @Dredok Yeah I am using vcpkg to install other libraries. Does that affect boost? – Optimus Prime Mar 01 '22 at 17:26
  • Raw CMake (without vcpkg) would not download any package but report missing package error. Automatic download performed by `find_package` is vcpkg's addition and if there is any way to tweak it, look in vckpg's documentation. – R2RT Mar 01 '22 at 17:59
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    @R2RT - IIRC vcpkg doesn't wait until `find_package` to download... it uses a `vcpkg.json` manifest file and downloads when its toolchain file runs. – Alex Reinking Mar 02 '22 at 02:32
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    Ok, good to know, I've not been using vcpkg in a while. So the anwer to question would be "adjust `vcpkg.json` file with specific Boost libraries"? @OptimusPrime Do you have `vcpkg.json` somewhere in project? – R2RT Mar 02 '22 at 07:36

1 Answers1

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With vcpkg you definitely can install specific Boost modules (filesystem and nowide in your case). From https://vcpkg.io/en/packages.html:

  • .\vcpkg install boost-filesystem
  • .\vcpkg install boost-nowide

With find_package you're linking already compiled and installed package (e.g. SMFL or any other lib) to your project, not actually compiling it. See this link if you'd like to know how others tried to integrate CMake system to build Boost.

Pāvels Žuravļovs
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