Trouble linking with boost.python and python3

Question

When I attempt to compile a boost.python 'Hello World' program in Visual Studio 2017 on Win10, I run into the following link error:

LNK1104 cannot open file 'boost_python-vc141-mt-1_64.lib'

However, I want to be linking with the python3 version. I built my boost.python libraries with this command

b2 --with-python variant=release link=shared address-model=64

with using python : 3.6 ; in my project-config.jam file, which produces

boost_python3-vc141-mt-1_64.dll and boost_python3-vc141-mt-1_64.lib

I have no idea why my project is attempting to link with the python2 version. I never specified anywhere which boost.python library to link with, and I do not know where to change it.

If it matters, here is the c++ program I am attempting to compile (into an x64 .dll)

#include <boost/python.hpp>

char const* greet() {
    return "hello, world";
}

BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(hello_ext) {
    using namespace boost::python;
    def("greet", greet);
}

Answer 1

In my experience, on Windows/VC++ Boost.Python's automatic linking always searches for boost_python-vc<blah-blah-blah>.lib regardless of Python version. And when building against Python 3, b2 actually produces 2 sets of lib files: boost_python-vc... and boost_python3-vc... . They are identical, only names differ. So if you don't have boost_python-vc141-mt-1_64.lib file, rename your boost_python3-vc141-mt-1_64 lib and dll files by removing 3 .