CMake found Boost but not requested libraries

Question

I am trying to add Boost to a C++ application using CMake. I have read through all relevant questions I can find on SO, and I feel I am getting closer to a solution. But the CMake still can't find the requested Boost library for some reasons.

I am trying to find "boost_filesystem". The debug shows CMake is looking for "boost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1". I do have the file "libboost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1.lib" in the folder "C:\boost\boost_1_65_1\stage\lib". I suppose this is the file CMake is looking for, but for some reasons CMake says it can't find it.

Here is the procedure I used to build the Boost. This may be too much details for most people but I suspect it may be helpful to another newbie.

download and extract Boost 1.65.1 in folder C:\boost\boost_1_65_1
go to developer prompt command line and run bootstrap.bat under the above folder.
updated file visualc.hpp under C:\boost\boost_1_65_1\boost\config\compiler (see Unknown compiler version while compiling Boost with MSVC 14.0 (VS 2015)!

Replaced the lines in the bottom of the file visualc.hpp :

// last known and checked version is 19.11.25506 (VC++ 2017.3):
#if (_MSC_VER > 1911)

with

// last known and checked version is 19.13.26128 (VC++ 2017.5.6):
#if (_MSC_VER > 1913)

Open another file project-config.jam under the folder boost_1_65_1 and updated the second line to the following:

using msvc : 14.1 : "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017 \Professional\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.13.26128\bin\Hostx64\x64\cl.exe" ;
Go back to developer prompt command line and run the following to build Boost:

b2 toolset=msvc-14.1 address-model=64

It seems I have done the following items correctly:

properly built the libraries, though not using the default directory. I confirmed that the requested library is built.
assigned the path correctly to the CMake designated directories
used CMake find_package() correctly

Here are the relevant versions I am using:

VS: 2017 v15.6.1 with CMake 3.10
Boost version: 1.65.1, built with tool MSVC 14.1

Here is the CMakelist.txt:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.6 FATAL_ERROR)
project(test)

set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS       OFF)
set(Boost_USE_MULTITHREADED      ON)
set(Boost_USE_STATIC_RUNTIME    OFF)

set(Boost_DEBUG ON)

set(BOOST_ROOT C:\\boost\\boost_1_65_1)
set(BOOST_INCLUDEDIR C:\\boost\\boost_1_65_1)
set(BOOST_LIBRARYDIR C:\\boost\\boost_1_65_1\\stage\\lib)

set(Boost_DEBUG 1)

find_package(Boost COMPONENTS filesystem REQUIRED)

message(STATUS "Boost LIBRARIES: " ${Boost_LIBRARIES})   
add_executable(test_Boost main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(test_Boost ${Boost_LIBRARIES})

here is part of the output that may be relevant:

1> Command line: C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO\2017\PROFESSIONAL\COMMON7\IDE\COMMONEXTENSIONS\MICROSOFT\CMAKE\CMake\bin\cmake.exe  -G "Ninja" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH="C:\Users\david\CMakeBuilds\94321a3b-9fa8-083f-a86f-e151c3abae79\install\x64-Release"  -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Professional/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.13.26128/bin/HostX64/x64/cl.exe"  -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Professional/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.13.26128/bin/HostX64/x64/cl.exe"  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="RelWithDebInfo" -DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM="C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO\2017\PROFESSIONAL\COMMON7\IDE\COMMONEXTENSIONS\MICROSOFT\CMAKE\Ninja\ninja.exe" "E:\computer\boost\cmake"
1> Working directory: C:\Users\david\CMakeBuilds\94321a3b-9fa8-083f-a86f-e151c3abae79\build\x64-Release
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1073 ] _boost_TEST_VERSIONS = 1.65.1;1.65.0;1.65;1.64.0
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1075 ] Boost_USE_MULTITHREADED = ON
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1077 ] Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS = OFF
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1079 ] Boost_USE_STATIC_RUNTIME = OFF
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1081 ] Boost_ADDITIONAL_VERSIONS = 
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1083 ] Boost_NO_SYSTEM_PATHS = 
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1151 ] Declared as CMake or Environmental Variables:
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1153 ]   BOOST_ROOT = C:\boost\boost_1_65_1
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1155 ]   BOOST_INCLUDEDIR = C:\boost\boost_1_65_1
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1157 ]   BOOST_LIBRARYDIR = C:\boost\boost_1_65_1\stage\lib
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1159 ] _boost_TEST_VERSIONS = 1.65.1;1.65.0;1.65;1.64.0;...
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1258 ] location of version.hpp: C:/boost/boost_1_65_1/boost/version.hpp
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1282 ] version.hpp reveals boost 1.65.1;...
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1368 ] guessed _boost_COMPILER = -vc141;-vc140
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1378 ] _boost_MULTITHREADED = -mt
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1422 ] _boost_RELEASE_ABI_TAG = -
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1424 ] _boost_DEBUG_ABI_TAG = -gd
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1486 ] _boost_LIBRARY_SEARCH_DIRS_RELEASE = C:\boost\boost_1_65_1\stage\lib;C:\boost\boost_1_65_1/lib;...
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1636 ] Searching for FILESYSTEM_LIBRARY_RELEASE: boost_filesystem-vc141-mt-1_65_1;boost_filesystem-vc141-mt
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1687 ] Searching for FILESYSTEM_LIBRARY_DEBUG: boost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1;boost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1636 ] Searching for SYSTEM_LIBRARY_RELEASE: boost_system-vc141-mt-1_65_1;boost_system-vc141-mt
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1687 ] Searching for SYSTEM_LIBRARY_DEBUG: boost_system-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1;boost_system-vc141-mt-gd
1> -- [ C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1762 ] Boost_FOUND = 1
1> -- Boost LIBRARIES: 
1> CMake Error at C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1923 (message):
1>   Unable to find the requested Boost libraries.
1> 
1>   Boost version: 1.65.1
1> 
1>   Boost include path: C:/boost/boost_1_65_1
1> 
1>   Could not find the following Boost libraries:
1> 
1>           boost_filesystem
1> 
1>   Some (but not all) of the required Boost libraries were found.  You may
1>   need to install these additional Boost libraries.  Alternatively, set
1>   BOOST_LIBRARYDIR to the directory containing Boost libraries or BOOST_ROOT
1>   to the location of Boost.
1> Call Stack (most recent call first):
1>   CMakeLists.txt(17): (find_package)
1> 
1> 
1> -- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
1> See also "C:/Users/david/CMakeBuilds/94321a3b-9fa8-083f-a86f-e151c3abae79/build/x64-Release/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
1> C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO\2017\PROFESSIONAL\COMMON7\IDE\COMMONEXTENSIONS\MICROSOFT\CMAKE\CMake\bin\cmake.exe  -G "Ninja" -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH="C:\Users\david\CMakeBuilds\94321a3b-9fa8-083f-a86f-e151c3abae79\install\x64-Release"  -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Professional/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.13.26128/bin/HostX64/x64/cl.exe"  -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER="C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2017/Professional/VC/Tools/MSVC/14.13.26128/bin/HostX64/x64/cl.exe"  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="RelWithDebInfo" -DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM="C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO\2017\PROFESSIONAL\COMMON7\IDE\COMMONEXTENSIONS\MICROSOFT\CMAKE\Ninja\ninja.exe" "E:\computer\boost\cmake" returned with exit code: 1
CMake Error at C:/Program Files (x86)/.../FindBoost.cmake:1923 (message):
  Unable to find the requested Boost libraries.
  Boost version: 1.65.1
  Boost include path: C:/boost/boost_1_65_1
  Could not find the following Boost libraries:
          boost_filesystem
  Some (but not all) of the required Boost libraries were found.  You may
  need to install these additional Boost libraries.  Alternatively, set
  BOOST_LIBRARYDIR to the directory containing Boost libraries or BOOST_ROOT
  to the location of Boost.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:17 (find_package)

Just to be sure. How did you build boost and can you give the complete name of the boost library? — Soeren
You have set Boost_DEBUG variable, so you may see (in build log) which exact file, corresponded to filesystem Boost's component, is searched and where. BTW, your code set Boost_DEBUG variable twice, first to ON and then to 1. — Tsyvarev
@Soeren I just added the library name I am looking for. I also added details about the procedure I used to build Boost. Thanks. — DavidY
@Tsyvarev I removed the duplicate setting for Boost_DEBUG. I also copied the complete output with the debug info. I also added more info about the library I am looking for. I can't make sense of the output. Can you please help me take a look? — DavidY
Everything looks correct... Except libboost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1.lib - This is a static library (it has lib prefix), but you ask find_package(Boost) to find shared libraries (set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS OFF)). — Tsyvarev

Soeren Soeren · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-13T07:55:07

libboost_filesystem-vc141-mt-gd-1_65_1.lib is the static version of the filesystem library (the name starts with lib)

In CMake you are searching for the dynamic version:

set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS       OFF)

This cannot work. Now you have to options:

switch the OFF to ON
rebuild boost with the following addition:

b2 toolset=msvc-14.1 address-model=64 --build-type=complete

The command --build-type=complete build all supported variants of the libraries. Just to be on the safe side ;-)

CMake found Boost but not requested libraries

1 Answers