Boost.Build ignores --user-config argument

[o01eg]

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• I searched the discussions
• I searched the closed and open issues
• I read the contribution guidelines

Environment and version details

• Operating System+version: Windows and MacOS
• Compiler+version: MSVS 2022 and XCode
• Shell: Powershell and zsh
• B2 Version: B2 5.3.2 (OS=NT, jobs=4) and B2 5.3.2 (OS=MACOSX, jobs=3)
• B2 Configuration: Output of b2 --debug-configuration in your project.

  notice: found boost-build.jam at D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/boost-build.jam
  notice: loading B2 from D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build-system.jam
  notice: Searching 'C:\Windows' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\build' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\contrib' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\engine' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\options' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\tools' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\util' 'D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src' for site-config configuration file 'site-config.jam'.
  notice: Configuration file 'site-config.jam' not found in 'C:\Windows' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\build' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\contrib' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\engine' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\options' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\tools' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\util' 'D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src'.
  notice: Searching 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\build' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\contrib' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\engine' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\options' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\tools' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\util' 'D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src' for user-config configuration file 'user-config.jam'.
  notice: Configuration file 'user-config.jam' not found in 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'C:\Users\runneradmin' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\build' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\contrib' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\engine' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\options' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\tools' 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost-prefix\src\boost\tools\build\src\util' 'D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src'.
  notice: Searching '.' for project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam'.
  notice: Loading project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam' from '.'.
  notice: [msvc-cfg] msvc-14.3 detected, command: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\bin\HostX64\arm\cl.exe'
  notice: will use 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\bin\HostX64\arm\cl.exe' for msvc, condition <toolset>msvc-14.3
  notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.29.30133 is 14.2
  notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.29.30133 is 14.2
  notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.29.30133 is 14.2
  notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.29.30133 is 14.2
  notice: [generate-setup-cmd] 14.29.30133 is 14.2
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars32.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars32.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>x86/<address-model>', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>/<address-model>', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvars64.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>ia64/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Enterprise/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>ia64/<address-model>', setup: 'C:/Program Files/Microsoft Visual Studio/2022/Enterprise/VC/Auxiliary/Build/vcvarsall.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>arm/<address-model>32', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvarsx86_arm.bat'
  notice: [msvc-cfg] condition: '<toolset>msvc-14.3/<architecture>arm/<address-model>64', setup: 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvarsx86_arm64.bat'
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build\feature.jam:491: in feature.validate-value-string from module feature
CUSTOMBUILD : error : "3.10" is not a known value of feature <python> [D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost.vcxproj]
CUSTOMBUILD : error : legal values: [D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost.vcxproj]
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build\property.jam:349: in validate1 from module property
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build\property.jam:375: in property.validate from module property
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build\build-request.jam:286: in convert-command-line-element from module build-request
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build\build-request.jam:222: in build-request.convert-command-line-elements from module build-request
  D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src\build-system.jam:804: in module scope from module build-system
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VC\v170\Microsoft.CppCommon.targets(254,5): error MSB8066: Custom build for 'D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-mkdir.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-download.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-update.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-patch.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-configure.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-build.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-install.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-copyDLL.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\644c0c42306a830e221fda1b4919c246\boost-removeExtraPDB.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\150142e6cbdef096d67d9b0f2e72f94e\boost-complete.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\CMakeFiles\d95a46517e3f930ab39a8570e97ef7c2\boost.rule;D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\CMakeLists.txt' exited with code 1. [D:\a\freeorion-sdk\freeorion-sdk\build\boost.vcxproj]
  The command exited with code 1.

notice: found boost-build.jam at /Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/boost-build.jam
notice: loading B2 from /Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build-system.jam
notice: Searching '/etc' '/Users/runner' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/util' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/tools' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/options' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/engine' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/contrib' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src' for site-config configuration file 'site-config.jam'.
notice: Configuration file 'site-config.jam' not found in '/etc' '/Users/runner' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/util' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/tools' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/options' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/engine' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/contrib' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src'.
notice: Searching '/Users/runner' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/util' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/tools' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/options' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/engine' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/contrib' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src' for user-config configuration file 'user-config.jam'.
notice: Configuration file 'user-config.jam' not found in '/Users/runner' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/util' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/tools' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/options' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/engine' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/contrib' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build' '/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src'.
notice: Searching '.' for project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam'.
notice: Loading project-config configuration file 'project-config.jam' from '.'.
notice: will use 'clang++' for clang-darwin, condition <toolset>clang-17
notice: [python-cfg] Configuring python...
notice: [python-cfg]   user-specified version: "3.14"
notice: [python-cfg]   user-specified cmd-or-prefix: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14"
notice: [python-cfg] Checking interpreter command "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/bin/python"...
notice: [python-cfg] running command '/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/bin/python -c "from sys import *; print('version=%d.%d\nplatform=%s\nprefix=%s\nexec_prefix=%s\nexecutable=%s' % (version_info[0],version_info[1],platform,prefix,exec_prefix,executable))" 2>&1'
notice: [python-cfg] ...requested configuration matched!
notice: [python-cfg] Details of this Python configuration:
notice: [python-cfg]   interpreter command: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/bin/python"
notice: [python-cfg]   include path: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/include/python3.14"
notice: [python-cfg]   library path: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/lib/python3.14/config" "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/lib"
notice: [python-cfg] Checking for NumPy...
notice: [python-cfg] running command '/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/bin/python -c "import sys; sys.stderr = sys.stdout; import numpy; print(numpy.get_include())"'
notice: [python-cfg] NumPy disabled. Reason:
notice: [python-cfg]   /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.14/bin/python -c "import sys; sys.stderr = sys.stdout; import numpy; print(numpy.get_include())" aborted with 
notice: [python-cfg]   Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import sys; sys.stderr = sys.stdout; import numpy; print(numpy.get_include())
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'numpy'
notice: [python-cfg] framework directory is "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework"
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build/feature.jam:491: in feature.validate-value-string from module feature
error: "3.10" is not a known value of feature <python>
error: legal values: "3.14"
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build/property.jam:349: in validate1 from module property
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build/property.jam:375: in property.validate from module property
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build/build-request.jam:286: in convert-command-line-element from module build-request
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build/build-request.jam:222: in build-request.convert-command-line-elements from module build-request
/Users/runner/work/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-prefix/src/boost/tools/build/src/build-system.jam:804: in module scope from module build-system

Brief problem description

It looks like --user-config started to be ignored with update from Boost 1.88 to 1.89, which means from Boost.Build 5.2.1 to 5.3.2

Steps to reproduce the issue

Try build Boost 1.89 with custom user-config.jam

Actual behavior summary

Boost.Build ignores --user-config argument. Missing line in output:

notice: Loading explicitly specified user configuration file:

Expected behavior summary

Boost compiles successfully.

[o01eg]

I've backported #452 but it doesn't help.

[o01eg]

There is a workaround with BOOST_BUILD_USER_CONFIG but we use CMake's external project and modifying environment variables requires CMake 4.2.

[grisumbras]

What command specifically do you invoke?

Both b2 --user-config uc.jam and b2 --user-config=uc.jam work for me.

[o01eg]

I invoke on Windows:

b2 install toolset=msvc-14.3 -j1 -d3 --layout=system --no-cmake-config --debug-configuration --abbreviate-paths --user-config=D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/boost-config.jam --without-context --without-coroutine --without-fiber --without-graph_parallel --without-mpi --without-wave --without-predef --prefix=D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/INSTALL threading=multi link=shared variant=release debug-symbols=on debug-store=database address-model=32 define=BOOST_USE_WINAPI_VERSION=BOOST_WINAPI_VERSION_WIN10 pch=off python=3.10 -s NO_BZIP2=1 -s NO_LZMA=1 -s NO_ZSTD=1 -s NO_ZLIB=0 -s ZLIB_INCLUDE=D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/INSTALL/include -s ZLIB_LIBRARY_PATH=D:/a/freeorion-sdk/freeorion-sdk/build/INSTALL/lib

and mostly same command on MacOS.

[o01eg]

Minified (only zlib and python except boost) build:

• Windows https://github.com/o01eg/freeorion-sdk/actions/runs/21514483376/job/61989338965
• MacOS https://github.com/o01eg/freeorion-sdk/actions/runs/21514483362/job/61989338983

[o01eg]

Looks like there is a workaround with moving --user-config first after install.

[grisumbras]

Oh, then it appears the argument parser was confused by something.

[grisumbras]

@grafikrobot https://github.com/bfgroup/b2/blob/main/src/build/property.jam#L284-L285

Because this doesn't initialise the argument as a flag, it seems to "eat" --user-config with b2 --abbreviate-paths --user-config uc.jam.

[grisumbras]

@o01eg to workaround this bug move --abreviate-paths to the end of the invocation. Otherwise it can consume another argument.

[grisumbras]

That's not the only broken argument. I'm currently working on a PR.