[Box Backup] Win32 port

[Ben Summers]

On 3 Dec 2005, at 23:36, Chris Wilson wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm looking to do whatever I can to help get the win32 port of Box  
> Backup integrated into the main tree as soon as possible  
> (preferably before Christmas :-)

That would be lovely.

>
> I've checked out Nick's tree from SVN, along with 0.08 and the  
> trunk. I think I've fixed all the line endings and reduced the  
> patch (against 0.08) to a manageable size (a mere 4,700 lines :-).

Is that different to http://bbdev.fluffy.co.uk/svn/box/martin/test/  ?

>
> Now I wonder what you all would like me to do next? I can see three  
> options:
>
> * check this copy of Nick's tree (which is identical apart from line
>   endings) back into SVN under his branch;
> * make a copy of his tree as my own branch, and apply my line ending
>   changes to that branch;
> * apply the patch to a fresh copy of the trunk and try to merge any
>   conflicts myself.

There are two parts to the Win32 port:

1) The actual porting effort.

2) Some extra features, for example, the dumping of state to disc.

They should, perhaps be separated.

The most helpful approach might be to get the changes applied to a  
copy of trunk, and separating out the two parts. But that may be more  
work than it's worth. But if it's done line by 4700 lines, we'd make  
sure we don't lose any extra code.

This is a bit of a mess. It's my fault. I should have opened up the  
source control system far earlier.


>
> I have a working Win32 compiler setup with MinGW which I hope to  
> use to compile Box Backup and Boxi, but I think it might be a good  
> idea if I take Nick up on his offer of a copy of VC for testing.

There's also this which may help:

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx

and you can download the compilers for free if you don't want the IDE  
as well or object to the "free for a year" business.

   http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

I only have VC++ 6, so I can't use the project files in the project.  
I would really prefer that they didn't rely on anything which wasn't  
free (as in beer), though.


Having said that, MinGW might not be a bad way to go, as it should  
allow the existing build script to work, which, under the new  
autoconf stuff, might save a whole world of bother.


>
> There seems to be some stuff in "lib/common/BoxPortsAndFiles.h" of  
> your
> win32 port which isn't needed for Box Backup itself:
>
> // BOX_PRIVATE_BEGIN
[snip]
> // BOX_PRIVATE_END
>
> Did this leak out from some private project, and is it OK if I remove
> it?

Yes, this leaked. Removal is probably wise.

Ben