When Boost Log meet MinGW, everything will not work!

My mission on migrating Boost code from Linux to Windows is almost failed. The error was strange enough that I have no idea why there are so many undefined reference happened in the code. I mean, since the code is designed for cross platform, it should not have any trouble if it is migrating to the other platform.

My finding on this matter was that the compiler will throw error whenever I have the following piece appear in my code.

boost::log::add_file_log
(
   keyword::file_name = "sample.log",
   keyword::rotation_size = 10 * 1024 * 1024,
   keyword::time_based_rotation = boost::log::sinks::file::rotation_at_time_point(0,0,0),
   keyword::format = "[%TimeStamp%]: %Message%"
);

Yippee! I start to see some light on the problem. That piece is belongs to Boost Log. I am pretty sure the error comes from this piece.

D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `make_absolute':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:597: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::absolute(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::filesystem::path const&)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `store_file':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:695: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::parent_path() const'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `scan_for_files':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:776: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::parent_path() const'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost3log10v2s_mt_nt55sinks17text_file_backend7consumeERKNS1_11record_viewERKNSt7__cxx1112basic_stringIcSt11char_traitsIcESaIcEEE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:1218: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::parent_path() const'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost3log10v2s_mt_nt55sinks17text_file_backend30set_file_name_pattern_internalERKNS_10filesystem4pathE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:1265: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::parent_path() const'
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/libs/log/src/text_file_backend.cpp:1265: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::absolute(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::filesystem::path const&)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZNK5boost10filesystem4path15has_parent_pathEv':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/path.hpp:516: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::parent_path() const'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystemdvERKNS0_4pathES3_':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/path.hpp:789: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path::operator/=(boost::filesystem::path const&)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem12current_pathEv':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:596: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::current_path(boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem10equivalentERKNS0_4pathES3_':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:608: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::equivalent(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem9file_sizeERKNS0_4pathE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:614: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::file_size(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem9file_sizeERKNS0_4pathERNS_6system10error_codeE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:618: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::file_size(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem15last_write_timeERKNS0_4pathE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:637: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::last_write_time(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem6renameERKNS0_4pathES3_':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:677: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::rename(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem5spaceERKNS0_4pathE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:698: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::space(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem15system_completeERKNS0_4pathE':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/operations.hpp:710: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::detail::system_complete(boost::filesystem::path const&, boost::system::error_code*)'
D:/tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/libboost_log-mgw53-mt-d-1_61.a(text_file_backend.o): In function `ZN5boost10filesystem4pathaSINS0_15directory_entryEEENS_9enable_ifINS0_11path_traits11is_pathableINS_5decayIT_E4typeEEERS1_E4typeERKS8_':
d:\tool\boost_1_61_0/./boost/filesystem/path.hpp:202: undefined reference to `boost::filesystem::path_traits::dispatch(boost::filesystem::directory_entry const&, std::__cxx11::basic_string<wchar_t, std::char_traits<wchar_t>, std::allocator<wchar_t> >&)'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status

Notice that all Boost Log library were failed. When things are working fine on Linux platform, but error on the other, I have a very strong feeling that this could be the compiler version issue. Base on my pass experience and common sense of programming knowledge, I make a quit decision on the MinGW to switch to the Microsoft C++ compiler.

Going through all the hassle setup on the QT + MSVC compiler, together with the same configuration on the .pro file:

...

win32:CONFIG(release, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib64-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_system-vc140-mt-1_61
else:win32:CONFIG(debug, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib64-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_system-vc140-mt-gd-1_61
else:unix:!macx: LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/ -lboost_system

win32:CONFIG(release, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_filesystem-vc140-mt-1_61
else:win32:CONFIG(debug, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_filesystem-vc140-mt-gd-1_61
else:unix:!macx: LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/ -lboost_filesystem

win32:CONFIG(release, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_log_setup-vc140-mt-1_61
else:win32:CONFIG(debug, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_log_setup-vc140-mt-1_61
else:unix:!macx: LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/ -lboost_log_setup

win32:CONFIG(release, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_log-vc140-mt-1_61
else:win32:CONFIG(debug, debug|release): LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/msvc/lib32-msvc-14.0/ -lboost_log-vc140-mt-1_61
else:unix:!macx: LIBS += -L$$PWD/../../../tool/boost_1_61_0/stage/lib/ -lboost_log

...

The code was compiled successfully at least. And now I am declaring to myself to abandon and give up any use of MinGW compiler with Boost library on Windows platform. I am very serious about this matter. (>.<)