re: -jN using cl.exe and not gcc

[Sandy Currier]

Hi all,

I am trying to use higher values of -j on windows but at the same
time use cl.exe as opposed to gcc.  One of several problems with
cl.exe is that it likes to generate a bunch of secondary files,
like .pch, idb, .pdb, etc.  This is for c++ files with visual
studio 7 (.net).

And it likes to place them in a common location (per visual studio
project).

But, to run multiple instances of cl.exe at the same time (-jN),
one needs to create individual secondary files (in unique places)
to keep multiple cl.exe processes from stepping on themselves.
But doing so appears to be a bad thing since there are now
multiple instances of these files with partial (project) data in
them as opposed to a single instance of the file.

Does anyone on this list have any experience trying to parallel-ize
windows compiles using cl.exe?

Any advice/thoughts/prior art?  Best practice?

thanks in advance,
-sandy