JamPlus

Introduction

JamPlus is a very fast and powerful code and data build system built on the code base of the original Perforce version of Jam, a software build tool similar to make. It is regularly used to parallelize the builds of massive code or data sets.

JamPlus adds new features to Jam and integrates a number of patches from the Jamming mailing list and the Perforce Public Depot.

A sampling of the features in the JamPlus distribution follows:

• Multiplatform: Binaries can be easily bootstrapped for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
• Compiler support: Out of box compiler support for Visual C++ 202x/201x/200x/6, GCC, Clang, and MinGW.
• Platform targets: Platform modules are provided for building for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android targets. Additionally, an Xbox 360 console platform is provided as a sample. If the machine has iOS Build Environment for Windows installed (see http://www.pmbaty.com/iosbuildenv/), then iOS builds can be made on a Windows Boot Camp partition.
• Workspace/Project Generator: Output project files for the Visual Studio IDE, Xcode, and CodeBlocks.
• Multiple Passes: Run multiple internal passes, collecting unknown dependencies, and execute them in a future pass.
• Network Cache: Any to-be-built target can be retrieved from one or more shared network file caches of prebuilt targets.
• Command-line Dependencies: When the 'command line' of a target (not necessarily the real command line) changes, the target is rebuilt.
• Powerful New Variable Expansion: Convert between slash types, expand literal text, include or exclude list components, recursive file globs, and more.
• Dependency (Header) Cache: When dependency information is scanned, it is cached for the next build, offering a huge performance boost.
• Batch Compilation: JamPlus is able to batch files to tools that support it, such as the Visual C++ compiler.
• Checksum support: Enabled via a flag, and JamPlus will use the checksums of files to detect change instead of timestamps.

Contents

• Quick Start Guide gets you up and running quickly.
• Examples shows various simple JamPlus build techniques.
• Bootstrapping/Building shows how to build JamPlus.
• Jam Workspace Generator tells how to use JamToWorkspace to create Visual Studio and other IDE workspaces.
• Usage shows the command-line features of JamPlus.
• Jam Language shows the language features of JamPlus.
• Variables shows how to use variables in the Jam language.
• Built-in Rules shows the built-in rules of JamPlus.
• Built-in Variables shows the built-in variables of JamPlus.
• Dependency Cache gives information on how to speed builds and enable the md5 command lines and file cache.
• Jambase Rules shows the list of rules available in the default Jambase.jam.
• JamPlus Modules lists the various Jam modules that ship with JamPlus.
• Multiple Passes shows how you can add multiple passes to your JamPlus build.
• C Module Multiple Toolchain Support describes how JamPlus can execute builds across varied toolchains in the same execution.
• Lua Support shows how Lua can communicate with JamPlus.
• File Cache goes in-depth about the JamPlus (network) file caching feature.
• Building with Checksums discusses special considerations for enabling and using JamPlus' checksum-over-timestamp support.
• Warnings and Errors shows a list of the possible warnings and errors that can be reported by Jam.
• Bugs, Limitations
• Miscellaneous Improvements
• Scripts lists the helper scripts that ship with JamPlus.
• Changelog descriptions for released versions of JamPlus.

Authors

Jam's author is Christopher Seiwald (seiwald@perforce.com). Documentation is provided by Perforce Software, Inc.

JamPlus's primary maintainer is Joshua Jensen (jjensen@workspacewhiz.com).

Note: Much of this documentation is taken verbatim from the jam.html file which ships with the Perforce Jam build.

Patches come from the Jam mailing list and Perforce Public Depot, with the primary authors being Alen Ladavac, Craig McPheeters, and Matt Armstrong.