feature request: control output format of source location based on compiler used

[correaa]

Currently, in HRF format, the source location is printed as file.ext(lineno):.
For example

./.././detail/test.cpp(764): error in "test_name": check a == b has failed [3 != 6]

It would be good for automated tools to have the alternative to print the source location in format more similar to source locations printed in clang and gcc (also Catch2), i.e. file.ext:lineno.
For example the modified format out would print:

./.././detail/test.cpp:764: error in "test_name": check a == b has failed [3 != 6]

Would it be possible to add this options to the format output?

(I tried editing the strings in /usr/include/boost/test/minimal.hpp and in test/impl/compiler_log_formatter.ipp:print_prefix but that didn't do it.)

[correaa]

I found this in the sources. It seems that the format is controlled by the compiler in the case of Xcode, based on an idea of https://richarddingwall.name/2008/06/01/using-the-boost-unit-test-framework-with-xcode-3

#ifdef __APPLE_CC__
        // Xcode-compatible logging format, idea by Richard Dingwall at
        // <http://richarddingwall.name/2008/06/01/using-the-boost-unit-test-framework-with-xcode-3/>.
        output << file_name << ':' << line_num << ": ";
#else
        output << file_name << '(' << line_num << "): ";
#endif

Very good, with the same criteria the (default) format can be deduced from the compiler used to compile Boost.Test in linux as well (e.g. GCC, clang --same format incidentally--, intel, etc)

That is I propose:

#if defined(__APPLE_CC__) or defined(__GNUC__) or defined(__clang__)
        // Xcode-compatible logging format, idea by Richard Dingwall at
        // <http://richarddingwall.name/2008/06/01/using-the-boost-unit-test-framework-with-xcode-3/>.
       // also for gcc and clang
        output << file_name << ':' << line_num << ": ";
#else
        output << file_name << '(' << line_num << "): ";
#endif

(note: that a macro defined in test is not going to work because this is an ipp file and therefore is precompiled at the point of use.)

I found a solution using the facilities of Boost.Test, but it is really and overkill just to change this detail (parenthesis for colon).

https://stackoverflow.com/a/64619245/225186