Why is the distribution tied to a specific Boost version?

[maliberty]

In or-tools_x86_64_Ubuntu-24.10_cpp_v9.14.6206 I find lib/cmake/Boost-1.87.0/..., why is the released tied to 1.87 specifically? Can it not be used with a different version (eg 1.89)? Boost is generally good about backward compatibility.

[lperron]

we need to build it with something. It is only used in Soplex I believe.

[maliberty]

We do you have to tie it to a specific version and not just specify a minimum?

[Mizux]

you can rebuiilt ortools locally, use -DBUILD_Boost=OFF and provide your own version aka we won't fetch a version but let soplex find the one you provide...

ref:

or-tools/CMakeLists.txt

Lines 287 to 303 in 27ebae0

	option(USE_SCIP "Use the Scip solver" ON)
	message(STATUS "SCIP support: ${USE_SCIP}")
	if(USE_SCIP)
	CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION(BUILD_Boost "Build the Boost dependency Library" OFF
	"NOT BUILD_DEPS" ON)
	CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION(BUILD_soplex "Build the Soplex dependency Library" OFF
	"NOT BUILD_DEPS" ON)
	CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION(BUILD_SCIP "Build the SCIP dependency Library" OFF
	"NOT BUILD_DEPS" ON)
	else()
	set(BUILD_Boost OFF)
	set(BUILD_soplex OFF)
	set(BUILD_SCIP OFF)
	endif()
	message(STATUS "Build Boost (Soplex requirement): ${BUILD_Boost}")
	message(STATUS "Build Soplex (SCIP requirement): ${BUILD_soplex}")
	message(STATUS "Build SCIP: ${BUILD_SCIP}")

[maliberty]

I don't want to build or-tools from source. I just don't want your binary distribution to enforce a boost version requirement on or-tools users when there is no need.

[lperron]

We use cmake to download it and compile it to be able to build the or-tools artefacts. You need to specify a version when you do that. We cannot specify a range or a min cersion. We also need to patch it # ############################################################################## # BOOST # ############################################################################## if(BUILD_Boost) message(CHECK_START "Fetching Boost") list(APPEND CMAKE_MESSAGE_INDENT " ") FetchContent_Declare( Boost GIT_REPOSITORY "https://github.com/boostorg/boost.git" GIT_TAG "boost-1.87.0" GIT_SHALLOW TRUE GIT_SUBMODULES_RECURSE TRUE UPDATE_COMMAND git reset --hard --recurse-submodules PATCH_COMMAND git apply --ignore-whitespace "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../../patches/boost-1.87.0.patch" OVERRIDE_FIND_PACKAGE # Needed for Soplex SYSTEM ) set(BOOST_INCLUDE_LIBRARIES multiprecision serialization) option(BOOST_SKIP_INSTALL_RULES NO) set(BOOST_ENABLE_CMAKE ON) set(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS OFF) FetchContent_MakeAvailable(Boost) set(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ON) list(POP_BACK CMAKE_MESSAGE_INDENT) message(CHECK_PASS "fetched") endif() Laurent Perron | Operations Research | ***@***.*** | (33) 1 42 68 53 00 Le mer. 28 janv. 2026 à 19:58, Matt Liberty ***@***.***> a écrit :

…

We do you have to tie it to a specific version and not just specify a minimum? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#5015 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACUPL3P5GGAE7I5CFJ6D7M34JEBGPAVCNFSM6AAAAACTGYCMZCVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKNRTGIYDAMQ> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[maliberty]

What is the purpose of this patch?

-  export(TARGETS ${LIB} NAMESPACE Boost:: FILE export/${LIB}-targets.cmake)
+  #export(TARGETS ${LIB} NAMESPACE Boost:: FILE export/${LIB}-targets.cmake)

I am building an application that uses boost directly and also uses or-tools. I use boost 1.89. or-tools tries to find 1.87 and can't and fails. I don't think it matters that you compiled with 1.87 to me as the user of the library.

[lperron]

you could have started with the problem instead of a broad question. The issue is not the library we build it with, but the dynamic loader constraints.

[maliberty]

I asked about the distribution not how you compile.

[Mizux]

What is the purpose of this patch?

-  export(TARGETS ${LIB} NAMESPACE Boost:: FILE export/${LIB}-targets.cmake)
+  #export(TARGETS ${LIB} NAMESPACE Boost:: FILE export/${LIB}-targets.cmake)

I am building an application that uses boost directly and also uses or-tools. I use boost 1.89. or-tools tries to find 1.87 and can't and fails. I don't think it matters that you compiled with 1.87 to me as the user of the library.

export is only when you want to use the build dir outside, this is not our case when building hermetic sdk + IIRC this doesn't work nicely with our superbuild.

ref: https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/export.html

[lperron]

it is still true for 9.15 ?

[lperron]

because I have built OR-Tools on main, and ldd all shared libraries. Nothing depends on boost

[maliberty]

I'm confused why this is closed. Was there some resolution?

[lperron]

I believe it was fixed in 9.15, thanks for Corentin's patch. Laurent Perron | Operations Research | ***@***.*** | (33) 1 42 68 53 00 Le sam. 31 janv. 2026 à 07:36, Matt Liberty ***@***.***> a écrit :

…

I don't want to build or-tools from source. I just don't want your binary distribution to enforce a boost version requirement on or-tools users when there is no need. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#5015 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACUPL3IQZXAWAND6EQHCJKL4JRENLAVCNFSM6AAAAACTGYCMZCVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKNRVG4YDEMY> . You are receiving this because you modified the open/close state.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[maliberty]

I just looked at 9.15 and I don't see the problem as solved. You still include and install lib/cmake/boost*1.87.0. This still pins the dependency.

[Mizux]

As Laurent said, our sdk archive must be standalone. But you can still build your own version of or-tools which rely on your boost setup, simply use -DBUILD_Boost=OFF at configure time so we won't fetch it...

[maliberty]

It would be helpful if there were an install-time option to only install or-tools and not the pre-packaged dependencies.

[maliberty]

Or even more fine-grained controls (eg only scip,soplex)

[Mizux]

if cmake don't fetch a dependency, the cmake install rules of the dependency won't be part of the install traget of our "super build"

note: You can take a look at this docker setup
https://github.com/google/or-tools/blob/main/cmake/docker/system_deps/Dockerfile
https://github.com/google/or-tools/blob/main/cmake/docker/system_deps/cpp.Dockerfile
note1: we build googletest since we need the absl support in googletest an most distro do not provide it)
note2: you can also use -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF, -DBUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF -DBUILD_SAMPLES=OFF to only build libortools ...
see: https://github.com/google/or-tools/tree/main/cmake#cmake-options