Linking against boost-python yields undefined references in PyCEGUI

Question

I am trying to compile a Python library (CEGUI can build Python modules, its editor relies on that) that needs to link against boost-python. So I built boost, with --with-python and it built just fine.

However, as soon as the .pyd is linked, I get undefined references:

Linking CXX shared module ..\..\..\..\..\bin\PyCEGUI.pyd
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x97): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects10class_baseC2EPKcjPKNS0_9type_infoES4_'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x9c): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python9converter8registry6insertEPFPvP7_objectEPFvS5_PNS1_30rvalue_from_python_stage1_dataEENS0_9type_infoEPFPK11_typeobjectvE
'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0xcc): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects23register_dynamic_id_auxENS0_9type_infoEPFSt4pairIPvS2_ES4_E'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0xf4): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects8add_castENS0_9type_infoES2_PFPvS3_Eb'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x1cd): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects17copy_class_objectERKNS0_9type_infoES4_'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x20d): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python9converter8registry6insertEPFP7_objectPKvENS0_9type_infoEPFPK11_typeobjectvE'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x245): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects10class_base17set_instance_sizeEj'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x281): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects15function_objectERKNS1_11py_functionERKSt4pairIPKNS0_6detail7keywordES9_E'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x2f2): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects16add_to_namespaceERKNS0_3api6objectEPKcS5_S7_'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x348): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python6detail13current_scopeE'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x4d1): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python9converter8registry9push_backEPFPvP7_objectEPFvS5_PNS1_30rvalue_from_python_stage1_dataEENS0_9type_infoEPFPK11_typeobjectvE'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x636): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python7objects16add_to_namespaceERKNS0_3api6objectEPKcS5_'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x1246): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python6detail13current_scopeE'
CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp:(.text+0x1267): undefined reference to `_imp___ZN5boost6python6detail13current_scopeE'
c:/mingw/bin/../lib/gcc/mingw32/4.8.1/../../../../mingw32/bin/ld.exe: CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a(AbsoluteDim.pypp.cpp.obj):
bad reloc address 0x2 in section `.text$_ZN5boost6detail15sp_counted_baseD1Ev[__ZN5boost6detail15sp_counted_baseD1Ev]'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
cegui\src\ScriptModules\Python\bindings\CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir\build.make:6698: recipe for target 'bin/PyCEGUI.pyd' failed
mingw32-make[2]: *** [bin/PyCEGUI.pyd] Error 1
CMakeFiles\Makefile2:726: recipe for target 'cegui/src/ScriptModules/Python/bindings/CMakeFiles/PyCEGUI.dir/all' failed
mingw32-make[1]: *** [cegui/src/ScriptModules/Python/bindings/CMakeFiles/PyCEGUI.dir/all] Error 2
Makefile:135: recipe for target 'all' failed
mingw32-make: *** [all] Error 2

My first assumption was that it does not link against boost-python, but the link.txt inside the CMake folders shows this:

"C:\Coding\CMake 2.8\bin\cmake.exe" -E remove -f CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a C:\MinGW\bin\ar.exe cr CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a @CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir\objects1.rsp C:\MinGW\bin\g++.exe -shared -o ..........\bin\PyCEGUI.pyd -Wl,--major-image-version,0,--minor-image-version,0 -Wl,--whole-archive CMakeFiles\PyCEGUI.dir/objects.a -Wl,--no-whole-archive ..........\lib\libCEGUIBase-0.dll.a C:\Coding\boost_1_53_0\lib\libboost_python-mgw48-mt-1_53.a C:\Python27\libs\python27.lib C:\Coding\CEGUI\cegui\dependencies\lib\dynamic\libfreetype.dll.a C:\Coding\CEGUI\cegui\dependencies\lib\dynamic\libpcre.dll.a -lwinmm -lkernel32 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lwinspool -lshell32 -lole32 -loleaut32 -luuid -lcomdlg32 -ladvapi32

So boost-python is linked against. I am unsure what could be the problem here. Boost? CEGUI? MinGW?...

Answer 1

Turns out, the problem was that I was using the 64bit version of Python. I downloaded it months ago and just forgot about that little fact.

Now, MinGW can only compile and use 32 bit libraries, not mix in 64 bit. This is what led to boost-python not compiling correctly (it's a wonder it did compile at all) and thus having undefined references when linked against.

Downloading the 32bit version of Python and recompiling boost solved the problems.