Compile Boost for Android

boost-android.md

Compiling Boost for Android

1. Download Boost and cd to base directory.

2. Create Android toolchains for desired architectures by running a script as below:

   NDK=/opt/android-sdk/ndk-bundle/
   TOOLCHAINS="$PWD/toolchains/"
   rm -rf $TOOLCHAINS
   mkdir $TOOLCHAINS
   
   $NDK/build/tools/make_standalone_toolchain.py --arch arm64 --stl=libc++ --install-dir $TOOLCHAINS/android-toolchain-arm64
   
   $NDK/build/tools/make_standalone_toolchain.py --arch arm --stl=libc++ --api=21 --install-dir $TOOLCHAINS/android-toolchain-arm
   
   $NDK/build/tools/make_standalone_toolchain.py --arch x86 --stl=libc++ --api=21 --install-dir $TOOLCHAINS/android-toolchain-x86
   
   $NDK/build/tools/make_standalone_toolchain.py --arch x86_64 --stl=libc++ --install-dir $TOOLCHAINS/android-toolchain-x86_64

3. Create a user-config.jam file, run bootstrap.sh followed by the bootstrap created b2.sh script for each architecture as in the script below: (Remember to update the boost modules to build in the ./bootstrap.sh line near the bottom, remembering that header only libraries should not go in the list eg coroutine2). Also check that you don't have a user-config.jam in your home directory which would override the local one.

   ARM64=1
   ARM32_7A=1
   ARM32=1
   X86_64=1
   # Note I can't get context's asm to work for 32 bit x86 so context and
   # dependencies such as fiber and coroutine1/2 will probably not work.
   X86=1
   
   BUILD_DIR=android-build
   BUILD_TYPE=debug # or release
   LINK_TYPE=static # or shared
   #See http://www.boost.org/build/doc/html/bbv2/overview/invocation.html for other b2 properties
   
   #TODO: Some of the compiler options for gcc give warnings for clang.
   
   cat > tools/build/src/user-config.jam << 'EOF'
   # ------------------
   # Android configurations.
   # ------------------
   
   import os ;
   
   local NDK_ROOT = /opt/android-sdk/ndk-bundle/ ;
   
   #================================================================================
   
   local ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN_ARM64 = android-toolchain-arm64 ;
   
   using clang : arm64_v8a
   :
   toolchains/android-toolchain-arm64/bin/aarch64-linux-android-clang++
   :
   <archiver>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm64/bin/aarch64-linux-android-ar
   #<assembler>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm64/bin/aarch64-linux-android-as
   <compileflags>-fexceptions
   <compileflags>-frtti
   <compileflags>-fpic
   <compileflags>-ffunction-sections
   <compileflags>-funwind-tables
   <compileflags>-fstack-protector
   #<compileflags>-Wno-psabi
   <compileflags>-march=armv8-a
   <compileflags>-mtune=cortex-a53
   <linkflags>-march=armv8-a
   <compileflags>-Os
   <compileflags>-fno-short-enums
   <compileflags>-fomit-frame-pointer
   <compileflags>-fno-strict-aliasing
   #<compileflags>-finline-limit=64
   <compileflags>-DANDROID
   <compileflags>-D__ANDROID__
   <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
   <compileflags>-O2
   <compileflags>-g
   <root>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm64/sysroot
   # @Moss - Above are the 'official' android flags
   <architecture>arm
   <compileflags>-fvisibility=hidden
   <compileflags>-fvisibility-inlines-hidden
   <compileflags>-fdata-sections
   <cxxflags>-D_REENTRANT
   <cxxflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
   <compileflags>-Wno-long-long
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-Wno-unused-variable
   ;
   
   #---------------------------------------------------------------------
   # --------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   local ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN_ARM = android-toolchain-arm ;
   using clang : armeabi
   :
   toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-clang++
   :
   <archiver>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-ar
   <compileflags>-fexceptions
   <compileflags>-frtti
   <compileflags>-fpic
   <compileflags>-ffunction-sections
   <compileflags>-funwind-tables
   <compileflags>-D__ARM_ARCH_5__
   <compileflags>-D__ARM_ARCH_5T__
   <compileflags>-D__ARM_ARCH_5E__
   <compileflags>-D__ARM_ARCH_5TE__
   #<compileflags>-Wno-psabi
   <compileflags>-march=armv5te
   <compileflags>-mtune=xscale
   <compileflags>-msoft-float
   <compileflags>-mthumb
   <linkflags>-march=armv5te
   <compileflags>-Os
   <compileflags>-fomit-frame-pointer
   <compileflags>-fno-strict-aliasing
   #<compileflags>-finline-limit=64
   <compileflags>-Wa,--noexecstack
   <compileflags>-DANDROID
   <compileflags>-D__ANDROID__
   <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
   <compileflags>-O2
   <compileflags>-g
   <root>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/sysroot
   # @Moss - Above are the 'official' android flags
   <architecture>arm
   <compileflags>-fvisibility=hidden
   <compileflags>-fvisibility-inlines-hidden
   <compileflags>-fdata-sections
   <cxxflags>-D_REENTRANT
   <cxxflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
   <compileflags>-Wno-long-long
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-Wno-unused-variable
   ;
   
   #---------------------------------------------------------------------
   # --------------------------------------------------------------------
   using clang : armeabi_v7a
   :
   toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-clang++
   :
   <archiver>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-ar
   <compileflags>-fexceptions
   <compileflags>-frtti
   <compileflags>-fpic
   <compileflags>-ffunction-sections
   <compileflags>-funwind-tables
   #<compileflags>-Wno-psabi
   <compileflags>-march=armv7-a
   <compileflags>-msoft-float
   <compileflags>-mfpu=neon
   <compileflags>-mthumb
   <linkflags>-march=armv7-a
   <linkflags>-Wl,--fix-cortex-a8
   <compileflags>-Os
   <compileflags>-fomit-frame-pointer
   <compileflag>-fno-strict-aliasing
   #<compileflags>-finline-limit=64
   <compileflags>-Wa,--noexecstack
   <compileflags>-DANDROID
   <compileflags>-D__ANDROID__
   <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
   <compileflags>-O2
   <compileflags>-g
   <root>toolchains/android-toolchain-arm/sysroot
   # @Moss - Above are the 'official' android flags
   <architecture>arm
   <compileflags>-fvisibility=hidden
   <compileflags>-fvisibility-inlines-hidden
   <compileflags>-fdata-sections
   <cxxflags>-D__arm__
   <cxxflags>-D_REENTRANT
   <cxxflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
   <compileflags>-Wno-long-long
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-Wno-unused-variable
   ;
   
   # --------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   local ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN_x86_64 = android-toolchain-x86_64 ;
   
   using clang : x86_64
   :
   toolchains/android-toolchain-x86_64/bin/x86_64-linux-android-clang++
   :
   <archiver>toolchains/android-toolchain-x86_64/bin/x86_64-linux-android-ar
   <compileflags>-fexceptions
   <compileflags>-frtti
   <compileflags>-fpic
   <compileflags>-ffunction-sections
   <compileflags>-funwind-tables
   #<compileflags>-Wno-psabi
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-no-canonical-prefixes
   <linkflags>-no-canonical-prefixes
   <compileflags>-Os
   <compileflags>-fomit-frame-pointer
   <compileflags>-fno-strict-aliasing
   #<compileflags>-funswitch-loops
   #<compileflags>-finline-limit=300
   <compileflags>-Wa,--noexecstack
   <compileflags>-DANDROID
   <compileflags>-D__ANDROID__
   <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
   <compileflags>-O2
   <compileflags>-g
   <root>toolchains/android-toolchain-x86_64/sysroot
   # @Moss - Above are the 'official' android flags
   <architecture>x86
   <compileflags>-fvisibility=hidden
   <compileflags>-fvisibility-inlines-hidden
   <compileflags>-fdata-sections
   <cxxflags>-D_REENTRANT
   <cxxflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
   <compileflags>-Wno-long-long
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-Wno-unused-variable
   ;
   
   # --------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   local ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN_x86 = android-toolchain-x86 ;
   
   using clang : x86 : "toolchains/android-toolchain-x86/bin/i686-linux-android-clang++"
   :
   <archiver>toolchains/android-toolchain-x86/bin/i686-linux-android-ar
   <compileflags>-fexceptions
   <compileflags>-frtti
   <compileflags>-fpic
   <compileflags>-ffunction-sections
   <compileflags>-funwind-tables
   #<compileflags>-Wno-psabi
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-no-canonical-prefixes
   <linkflags>-no-canonical-prefixes
   <compileflags>-Os
   <compileflags>-fomit-frame-pointer
   <compileflags>-fno-strict-aliasing
   #<compileflags>-funswitch-loops
   #<compileflags>-finline-limit=300
   <compileflags>-Wa,--noexecstack
   <compileflags>-DANDROID
   <compileflags>-D__ANDROID__
   <compileflags>-DNDEBUG
   <compileflags>-O2
   <compileflags>-g
   <root>toolchains/android-toolchain-x86/sysroot/
   # @Moss - Above are the 'official' android flags
   <architecture>x86
   <compileflags>-fvisibility=hidden
   <compileflags>-fvisibility-inlines-hidden
   <compileflags>-fdata-sections
   <cxxflags>-D_REENTRANT
   <cxxflags>-D_GLIBCXX__PTHREADS
   <compileflags>-Wno-long-long
   <compileflags>-Wno-missing-field-initializers
   <compileflags>-Wno-unused-variable
   ;
   
   EOF
   
   rm -f user-config.jam
   ln -s tools/build/src/user-config.jam
   
   # bootstrap
   # ./bootstrap.sh --with-libraries=atomic,chrono,date_time,exception,filesystem,graph,iostreams,math,program_options,random,regex,serialization,signals,system,test,thread,wave
   
   ./bootstrap.sh --with-libraries=system,filesystem,thread,context,coroutine,fiber,serialization,iostreams
   
   rm -rf $BUILD_DIR
   
   #abi "aapcs" "eabi" "ms" "n32" "n64" "o32" "o64" "sysv" "x32"
   #architecture "x86" "ia64" "sparc" "power" "mips1" "mips2" "mips3" "mips4" "mips32" "mips32r2" "mips64" "parisc" "arm" "combined" "combined-x86-power"
   
   if [ $ARM64 -eq 1 ]
      then
   ./b2 -j8 --build-dir=$BUILD_DIR --stagedir=$BUILD_DIR/arm64-v8a toolset=clang-arm64_v8a variant=$BUILD_TYPE \
    target-os=android architecture=arm abi=aapcs binary-format=elf address-model=64 threading=multi link=$LINK_TYPE stage
   fi
   
   if [ $ARM32_7A -eq 1 ]
      then
   ./b2 -j8 --build-dir=$BUILD_DIR --stagedir=$BUILD_DIR/armeabi-v7a toolset=clang-armeabi_v7a variant=$BUILD_TYPE \
   target-os=android architecture=arm abi=aapcs binary-format=elf address-model=32 threading=multi link=$LINK_TYPE stage
   fi
   
   if [ $ARM32 -eq 1 ]
      then
   ./b2 -j8 --build-dir=$BUILD_DIR --stagedir=$BUILD_DIR/armeabi toolset=clang-armeabi variant=$BUILD_TYPE \
   target-os=android architecture=arm abi=aapcs binary-format=elf address-model=32 threading=multi link=$LINK_TYPE stage
   fi
   
   if [ $X86_64 -eq 1 ]
   then
   ./b2 -j8 --build-dir=$BUILD_DIR --stagedir=$BUILD_DIR/x86_64 toolset=clang-x86_64 variant=$BUILD_TYPE \
   target-os=android architecture=x86 abi=x32 binary-format=elf address-model=64 threading=multi link=$LINK_TYPE stage
   fi
   
   if [ $X86 -eq 1 ]
   then
   ./b2 -j8 --build-dir=$BUILD_DIR --stagedir=$BUILD_DIR/x86 toolset=clang-x86 variant=$BUILD_TYPE \
   target-os=android architecture=x86 abi=x32 binary-format=elf address-model=32 threading=multi link=$LINK_TYPE stage
   fi
   
   # create link for include folder
   cd $BUILD_DIR
   mkdir -p include
   cd include
   ln -s ../../boost .

4. After a successful build the libraries should be in android-build/{architecture}. To check the architecture:

   mkdir x
   cd  x
   ../toolchains/android-toolchain-arm64/bin/aarch64-linux-android-ar -x ../android-build/arm64-v8a/lib/libboost_system.a
   file error_code.o
   error_code.o: ELF 64-bit LSB relocatable, ARM aarch64, version 1 (SYSV), with debug_info, not stripped

5. Boost filesystem seems to have (undocumented) dependencies on both system and threads, the latter of which is particularly tiresome as modern C++ (>= 11) have all the thread primitives. https://github.com/bin-build/filesystem (forked from https://github.com/wjakob/filesystem) are lightweight alternatives with similar functionality.

6. Note the Android project should also link with the libc++ STL eg

   externalNativeBuild
   {
      cmake
      {   cppFlags "-std=c++14 -fexceptions"
          arguments "-DANDROID_STL=c++_shared"
      }
    }