Boost Program Options : linking error - c++

Question

I am having errors while compiling my C++ code on the server.
So on this particular server the standard g++ installed is version 4.4.6, which I cannot use for my program since I need -std=c++14.
So I use a different version, which is installed in the home directory of another user, which is a version 7.1, called with command g++_71.
Know all the files compile except one class where I make use of the boost program_options.
When just linking to -lboost_program_options, it wouldn't work, because it would link to an old version of boost, that does not support the functionalities I was using, and also was compiled with the 4.4.6 gcc.
Therefore I downloaded boost version 1.66.0 and installed it in my home directory in a folder I named boost. I made sure that boost was installed with the correct toolset g++_71, even if this should not change a thing for a header-only library which program_options is.
Now I still get linker errors :
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `OptionsParser::parseOptionsFromCommandline(int, char**)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text+0x28c2): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::options_description::options_description(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, unsigned int, unsigned int)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::validation_error::validation_error(boost::program_options::validation_error::kind_t, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, int)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options16validation_errorC2ENS1_6kind_tERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_i[_ZN5boost15program_options16validation_errorC5ENS1_6kind_tERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_i]+0x21): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options16validation_error12get_templateB5cxx11ENS1_6kind_tE'
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options16validation_errorC2ENS1_6kind_tERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_i[_ZN5boost15program_options16validation_errorC5ENS1_6kind_tERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESA_i]+0x3b): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::error_with_option_name(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&, int)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::typed_value<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, char>::xparse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&) const':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorIS7_SaIS7_EE[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorIS7_SaIS7_EE]+0x17): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::validate(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >*, int)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::typed_value<bool, char>::xparse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&) const':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaISB_EE[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE6xparseERNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESaISB_EE]+0x17): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::validate(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool*, int)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::~error_with_option_name()':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options22error_with_option_nameD2Ev[_ZN5boost15program_options22error_with_option_nameD5Ev]+0x17): undefined reference to `vtable for boost::program_options::error_with_option_name'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::error_with_option_name(boost::program_options::error_with_option_name const&)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options22error_with_option_nameC2ERKS1_[_ZN5boost15program_options22error_with_option_nameC5ERKS1_]+0x22): undefined reference to `vtable for boost::program_options::error_with_option_name'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::basic_command_line_parser<char>::run()':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcE3runEv[_ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcE3runEv]+0x1b): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::detail::cmdline::get_canonical_option_prefix()'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::basic_command_line_parser<char>::basic_command_line_parser(int, char const* const*)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcEC2EiPKPKc[_ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcEC5EiPKPKc]+0x14d): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::to_internal(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&)'
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcEC2EiPKPKc[_ZN5boost15program_options25basic_command_line_parserIcEC5EiPKPKc]+0x1e9): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::detail::cmdline::cmdline(std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `boost::program_options::basic_parsed_options<char> boost::program_options::parse_command_line<char>(int, char const* const*, boost::program_options::options_description const&, int, boost::function1<std::pair<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&>)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options18parse_command_lineIcEENS0_20basic_parsed_optionsIT_EEiPKPKS3_RKNS0_19options_descriptionEiNS_9function1ISt4pairINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESJ_ERKSJ_EE[_ZN5boost15program_options18parse_command_lineIcEENS0_20basic_parsed_optionsIT_EEiPKPKS3_RKNS0_19options_descriptionEiNS_9function1ISt4pairINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEESJ_ERKSJ_EE]+0xaf): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::detail::cmdline::set_additional_parser(boost::function1<std::pair<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > >, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&>)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE4nameB5cxx11Ev':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE4nameEv[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcE4nameEv]+0x32): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIlcE4nameB5cxx11Ev':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIlcE4nameB5cxx11Ev[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIlcE4nameB5cxx11Ev]+0x32): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE4nameB5cxx11Ev':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE4nameB5cxx11Ev[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcE4nameB5cxx11Ev]+0x32): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIdcE4nameB5cxx11Ev':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIdcE4nameB5cxx11Ev[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIdcE4nameB5cxx11Ev]+0x32): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicE4nameB5cxx11Ev':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicE4nameB5cxx11Ev[_ZNK5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicE4nameB5cxx11Ev]+0x32): undefined reference to `_ZN5boost15program_options3argB5cxx11E'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `void boost::program_options::validate<double, char>(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, double*, long)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options8validateIdcEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l[_ZN5boost15program_options8validateIdcEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l]+0x4dd): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::invalid_option_value::invalid_option_value(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `void boost::program_options::validate<long, char>(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, long*, long)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options8validateIlcEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l[_ZN5boost15program_options8validateIlcEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l]+0x264): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::invalid_option_value::invalid_option_value(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o: In function `void boost::program_options::validate<int, char>(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, int*, long)':
OptionsParser.cpp:(.text._ZN5boost15program_options8validateIicEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l[_ZN5boost15program_options8validateIicEEvRNS_3anyERKSt6vectorINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIT0_St11char_traitsIS7_ESaIS7_EEESaISB_EEPT_l]+0x233): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::invalid_option_value::invalid_option_value(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&)'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEE]+0x20): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEE]+0x30): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEEEE]+0x28): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options20invalid_option_valueEEEEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEE]+0x20): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEE]+0x30): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEEEE]+0x28): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEEEE[_ZTVN5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_15program_options16validation_errorEEEEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTIN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE[_ZTIN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE]+0x10): undefined reference to `typeinfo for boost::program_options::error_with_option_name'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE]+0x20): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options16validation_errorE]+0x30): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueE]+0x20): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::what() const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options20invalid_option_valueE]+0x30): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::error_with_option_name::substitute_placeholders(std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcEE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueINSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEEcEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::value_semantic_codecvt_helper<char>::parse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicEE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIicEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::value_semantic_codecvt_helper<char>::parse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIlcEE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIlcEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::value_semantic_codecvt_helper<char>::parse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIdcEE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIdcEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::value_semantic_codecvt_helper<char>::parse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool) const'
objlinux/src/Utilities/Options/OptionsParser.o:(.rodata._ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcEE[_ZTVN5boost15program_options11typed_valueIbcEE]+0x38): undefined reference to `boost::program_options::value_semantic_codecvt_helper<char>::parse(boost::any&, std::vector<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> >, std::allocator<std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > > > const&, bool) const'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
make: *** [ACOPPD] Error 1
I tried different techniques to resolve this error:
I tried to just do the recommended include : #include "boost/program_options.hpp" and -I /home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0 in the Makefile as it is recommended by the boost documentation for header-only library, which program_options is.
I tried to include with the full path : #include "/home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0/boost/program_options.hpp"
I tried to include -I /home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0 -L /home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0/libs into the linker and compiler flags to.
I tried to include -lboost_program_options in addition to the other includes.
I tried if the -lstdc++ would change anything.
Nothing changes the linker errors, I am helpless !
Here my current Makefile:
CFLAGS := -std=c++14 -Wall -Ofast -march=native -Wunused-parameter
LDFLAGS := -lstdc++ -I /home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0 -L /home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0/libs
BUILDDIR := objlinux
SOURCEDIR := src
HEADERDIR := include
SRCEXT := cpp
OBJEXT := o
SOURCES := $(shell find $(SOURCEDIR) -name '*.$(SRCEXT)')
OBJECTS := $(addprefix $(BUILDDIR)/,$(SOURCES:%.$(SRCEXT)=%.$(OBJEXT)))
BINARY := ./ACOPPD
ECHO := echo
RM := rm -rf
MKDIR := mkdir
.PHONY: all clean
all: $(BINARY)
$(BINARY): $(OBJECTS)
g++_71 $(CFLAGS) $(OBJECTS) -o $(BINARY) $(LDFLAGS)
$(BUILDDIR)/%.$(OBJEXT): %.$(SRCEXT)
g++_71 $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -I $(HEADERDIR) -I $(dir $<) -c $< -o $#
clean:
$(RM) $(BINARY) $(OBJECTS)
distclean: clean

Answer 1

The -I option indicates where the compiler needs to find the include files, therefore it belongs to the compiler flags CFLAGS.
The -L option indicates where the linker needs to find the library files, and the -l option tells the linker which libraries to include, therefore both should go into LDFLAGS.
With these said, you have missed the -lboost_program_options flag in LDFLAGS. As a result the linker will not incorporate the boost_program_options library. -L alone here is meaningless.
Bottom lines - try these:
CFLAGS := -std=c++14 -Wall -Ofast -march=native -Wunused-parameter -I/home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0
LDFLAGS := -L/home/mkupper/boost/boost_1_66_0/libs -lstdc++ -lboost_program_options