how to use boost in linux

Question

I'm trying to use the shared pointer class(?) from boost. I have downloded boost and extracted it to a subfolder(boost) in my source folder (src). I have then added a line:

#include "boost/shared_ptr.hpp"

When I try to compile, I get an error:

error: boost/smart_ptr/shared_ptr.hpp: No such file or directory

What do I have to add for the program to compile?

I'm working on a scientific linux machine without root privliges

Answer 1

You will need to, with g++, add the directory as a compile option like g++ -I./boost ... or basically add as a command line option -I directly followed without a space by the relative or absolute path where you have installed your boost library. Keep in mind also for future reference that some elements of boost, like the threading library also require some libraries to be linked against, and you will have to also include those file-paths at compile time using the -L option ... that isn't the case with boost::shared_ptr, but just giving you a head's up.