How to use and link boost on macOS using CMake?

Question

Thank you for all who helped: What finally worked was changing:

set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER "gcc-10")
set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER "g++-10")

to:

set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER "/usr/local/opt/llvm/bin/clang")
set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER "/usr/local/opt/llvm/bin/clang++")

I get the following errors when trying to link boost to my program:

[ 83%] Linking CXX executable cartogram
Undefined symbols for architecture x86_64:
  "__ZN5boost15program_options11to_internalERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEE", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options11to_internalINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEEESt6vectorIS7_SaIS7_EERKS8_IT_SaISB_EE in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options16validation_error12get_templateB5cxx11ENS1_6kind_tE", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options10validators17get_single_stringIcEERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT_St11char_traitsIS5_ESaIS5_EEERKSt6vectorIS9_SaIS9_EEb in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options19options_descriptionC1ERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEjj", referenced from:
      _main in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueC1ERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEE", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options8validateIicEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options22error_with_option_nameC2ERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEES9_S9_i", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options10validators17get_single_stringIcEERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT_St11char_traitsIS5_ESaIS5_EEERKSt6vectorIS9_SaIS9_EEb in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E", referenced from:
      __ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE4nameB5cxx11Ev in main.cpp.o
      __ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE4nameEv in main.cpp.o
      __ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicE4nameB5cxx11Ev in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options6detail7cmdline21set_additional_parserENS_9function1ISt4pairINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_ERKSA_EE", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcE12extra_parserENS_9function1ISt4pairINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_ERKSA_EE in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options6detail7cmdlineC2ERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaIS9_EE", referenced from:
      __ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcEC1EiPKPKc in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options8validateERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaIS9_EEPS9_i", referenced from:
      __ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorIS7_SaIS7_EE in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_options8validateERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaIS9_EEPbi", referenced from:
      __ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaISB_EE in main.cpp.o
  "__ZN5boost15program_optionslsERSoRKNS0_19options_descriptionE", referenced from:
      _main in main.cpp.o
  "__ZNK5boost15program_options22abstract_variables_mapixERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEE", referenced from:
      _main in main.cpp.o
      __Z8read_csvN5boost15program_options13variables_mapEP8MapState in read_csv.cpp.o
  "__ZNK5boost15program_options22error_with_option_name23substitute_placeholdersERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEE", referenced from:
      __ZTVN5boost10wrapexceptINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEE in main.cpp.o
      __ZTVN5boost10wrapexceptINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEE in main.cpp.o
      __ZTVN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE in main.cpp.o
      __ZTVN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueE in main.cpp.o
  "__ZNK5boost15program_options29value_semantic_codecvt_helperIcE5parseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaISB_EEb", referenced from:
      __ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcEE in main.cpp.o
      __ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicEE in main.cpp.o
      __ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcEE in main.cpp.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status

However, when running the cmake command, cmake notifies me that it has found boost and the required components:

-- Found Boost: /usr/local/lib/cmake/Boost-1.74.0/BoostConfig.cmake (found suitable version "1.74.0", minimum required is "1.40") found components: program_options

I'm using gcc and g++ version 10.2.0 . I configure my CMake file using cmake -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++-10 -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc-10 .

I've tried my the following 2 options for linking, however, they both lead to the same error:

target_link_libraries(cartogram CGAL::CGAL Boost::program_options ${FFTW_LIBRARIES}) and target_link_libraries(cartogram CGAL::CGAL ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${FFTW_LIBRARIES})

I've also tried including add_compile_definitions(_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0) (edit: from Boost Linking problems ) before my call to find boost (using: find_package(Boost 1.40 COMPONENTS program_options REQUIRED) ).

On a side note, the exact same cmake file works perfectly find on Ubuntu, Linux!

How may I fix this error?

Edit: I'm not even entirely sure whether this is a linking error as when I don't include the boost library to be linked at all (since I believe program options can be used as a header only library), I still get the same errors!

Edit 2: This is the entirety of my CMake code:

# code for findFFTW
configure_file(downloadFindFFTW.cmake.in findFFTW-download/CMakeLists.txt)
execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -G "${CMAKE_GENERATOR}" .
        RESULT_VARIABLE result
        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/findFFTW-download )
if(result)
    message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake step for findFFTW failed: ${result}")
    else()
    message("CMake step for findFFTW completed (${result}).")
endif()
execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build .
        RESULT_VARIABLE result
        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/findFFTW-download )
if(result)
    message(FATAL_ERROR "Build step for findFFTW failed: ${result}")
endif()

set(findFFTW_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/findFFTW-src)

set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH} "${findFFTW_DIR}")

# As per https://github.com/CGAL/cgal/wiki/How-to-use-CGAL-with-CMake-or-your-own-build-system
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.1)
project(cartogram)

# set(PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_LIBS "-lpthread")
add_compile_definitions(_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)

find_package(CGAL)
find_package(Boost 1.40 COMPONENTS program_options REQUIRED)
find_package(FFTW)
find_package(Threads REQUIRED)

add_executable(cartogram main.cpp
              geo_div.cpp
                map_state.cpp
                read_csv.cpp
                rescale_map.cpp
                write_eps.cpp
                read_geojson.cpp
                fill_with_density.cpp
              blur_density.cpp
              flatten_density.cpp
                ft_real_2d.cpp)

# Boost::program_options ${Boost_LIBRARIES}
target_link_libraries(cartogram
                      CGAL::CGAL
                      ${Boost_LIBRARIES}
                      ${FFTW_LIBRARIES}
                      ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})

Edit 3: This is what I get when I run cmake -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++-10 -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc-10 :

CMake Warning:
  No source or binary directory provided.  Both will be assumed to be the
  same as the current working directory, but note that this warning will
  become a fatal error in future CMake releases.


CMake Deprecation Warning at CMakeLists.txt:1 (cmake_minimum_required):
  Compatibility with CMake < 2.8.12 will be removed from a future version of
  CMake.

  Update the VERSION argument <min> value or use a ...<max> suffix to tell
  CMake that the project does not need compatibility with older versions.


CMake Warning at /usr/local/Cellar/cmake/3.19.2/share/cmake/Modules/Platform/Darwin-Initialize.cmake:303 (message):
  Ignoring CMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT value:

   /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX11.0.sdk

  because the directory does not exist.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/local/Cellar/cmake/3.19.2/share/cmake/Modules/CMakeSystemSpecificInitialize.cmake:21 (include)
  CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)


-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /Users/adityasinghania/Desktop/gastner/cartogram_cpp-master/cartogram_generator/findFFTW-download
CMake step for findFFTW completed (0).
[ 11%] Performing update step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 22%] No patch step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 33%] No configure step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 44%] No build step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 55%] No install step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 66%] No test step for 'findFFTW_download'
[ 77%] Completed 'findFFTW_download'
[100%] Built target findFFTW_download
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 10.2.0
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 10.2.0
-- Checking whether C compiler has -isysroot
-- Checking whether C compiler has -isysroot - yes
-- Checking whether C compiler supports OSX deployment target flag
-- Checking whether C compiler supports OSX deployment target flag - yes
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/local/bin/gcc-10 - skipped
-- Detecting C compile features
-- Detecting C compile features - done
-- Checking whether CXX compiler has -isysroot
-- Checking whether CXX compiler has -isysroot - yes
-- Checking whether CXX compiler supports OSX deployment target flag
-- Checking whether CXX compiler supports OSX deployment target flag - yes
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/local/bin/g++-10 - skipped
-- Detecting CXX compile features
-- Detecting CXX compile features - done
-- Using header-only CGAL
-- Targetting Unix Makefiles
-- Using /usr/local/bin/g++-10 compiler.
-- DARWIN_VERSION=19
-- Mac Leopard detected
-- Found GMP: /usr/local/lib/libgmp.dylib  
-- Found MPFR: /usr/local/lib/libmpfr.dylib  
-- Found Boost: /usr/local/lib/cmake/Boost-1.74.0/BoostConfig.cmake (found suitable version "1.74.0", minimum required is "1.48")  
-- Boost include dirs: /usr/local/include
-- Boost libraries:    
-- Using gcc version 4 or later. Adding -frounding-math
-- Found Boost: /usr/local/lib/cmake/Boost-1.74.0/BoostConfig.cmake (found suitable version "1.74.0", minimum required is "1.40") found components: program_options 
-- Could NOT find PkgConfig (missing: PKG_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE) 
-- Found FFTW: /usr/local/include   
-- Looking for pthread.h
-- Looking for pthread.h - found
-- Performing Test CMAKE_HAVE_LIBC_PTHREAD
-- Performing Test CMAKE_HAVE_LIBC_PTHREAD - Success
-- Found Threads: TRUE  
-- Configuring done
-- Generating done
-- Build files have been written to: /Users/adityasinghania/Desktop/gastner/cartogram_cpp-master/cartogram_generator

Answer 1

The reason why you get these linking errors is probably that you try to link against Boost libraries which were compiled by AppleClang using g++ . The standard library implementations of Clang and g++ are ABI-incompatible, ie you can't link against a Clang-compiled library using g++ .

If you want to use g++ on MacOS, make sure the libraries that you use are also compiled with g++ . This might be useful: https://andschwa.com/post/boost-with-gcc-on-os-x/

Answer 2

My favourite method is using vcpkg .

1. Install vcpkg using this link
2. Using the terminal navigate to vcpkg folder.
3. Next, type ./vcpkg/vcpkg install boost . When this command is finished, run ./vcpkg/vcpkg install integrate ; with this, a command on how to integerate boost with your cmake file will appear. Copy and paste it into a text editor for future reference
4. Run your CMake file with the option -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=$vcpkgRoot/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake (the one given by the earlier command.) Alternatively, if you use visual studio code then running vcpkg integrate install will connect the library automatically to visual studio code.