Installing boost libraries for GCC (MinGW) on Windows

boost-windows.md

Installing boost libraries for Windows

Folder setup

1. Extract downloaded Boost Source, e.g. C:\Program Files\boost_1_59_0.
2. Create a folder for Boost.Build installation, e.g. C:\Program Files\boost-build.
3. Create a folder within boost source for building, i.e. C:\Program Files\boost_1_59_0\build.
4. Create a folder as Boost Binary location for installation, e.g. C:\Program Files\boost.

Compiler Setup

1. Open Command prompt/Terminal.
2. Make sure that you have a C++ compiler and it can be called from Command prompt/Terminal.

Boost.Build setup

1. Open Command Prompt and navigate to C:\Program Files\boost_1_59_0\tools\build.
2. Run bootstrap.bat. Note: bootstrap.bat can take toolset flag as varible to set specific toolset. e.g. bootstrap.bat mingw
3. Run b2 install --prefix="C:\Program Files\boost-build".
4. Add C:\Program Files\boost-build\bin to Windows PATH.

boost building

1. Open Command Prompt and navigate to boost source location C:\Program Files\boost_1_59_0.
2. Run below to build boost with <select toolset> as toolset for building.

b2 --build-dir="C:\Program Files\boost_1_59_0\build" --prefix="C:\Program Files\boost" toolset=<select toolset> install

3. Run below to find help

b2 --help

Project setup

1. Add include folder, i.e. C:\Program Files\boost\include\boost-1_59.
2. Add linker folder, i.e. C:\Program Files\boost\lib.
3. Link required libraries, e.g. libboost_regex-mgw48-mt-1_59.lib.