libboostpython needs to be built with python3 in order to do this. This doesn't work with boost 1.58 (which comes with Ubuntu 16.04), so make sure you download the latest boost distribution. I just did this with boost_1_64_0.
As mentioned above, find the file "user-config.jam" in you boost code distribution, and copy it to $HOME. cp /path/to/boost_1_64_0/tools/build/example/user-config.jam $HOME
Then edit the python line (the last line) so that is says: using python : 3.5 : /usr/bin/python3 : /usr/include/python3.5m : /usr/lib ;
This is correct for Ubuntu 16.04. You can use pkg-config to find the correct include directory. user@computer > pkg-config --cflags python3 -I/usr/include/python3.5m -I/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu/python3.5m
And you only need the first include directory.
Then build boost from scratch. (Sorry.) I install it to /usr/local cd /path/to/boost_1_64_0 ./bootstrap.sh --prefix=/usr/local ./b2 sudo ./b2 install
Now jump into the python example directory, and build the tutorial cd /path/to/boost_1_64_0/libs/python/example/tutorial bjam
This will not build correctly if you have a system install of boost, because, under the hood, bjam is linking to libboostpython using the g++ parameter "-lboost". But, on Ubuntu 16.04, this will just go and find "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libboost_python-py27.so.1.58.0", and then the python bindings will fail to load. In fact, you'll get his error: ImportError: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libboost_python-py27.so.1.58.0: undefined symbol: PyClass_Type
If you want to see the g++ commands that bjam is using, do this: user@computer > bjam -d2 -a | grep g++ g++ -ftemplate-depth-128 -O0 -fno-inline -Wall -g -fPIC -I/usr/include/python3.5m -c -o "hello.o" "hello.cpp" g++ -o hello_ext.so -Wl,-h -Wl,hello_ext.so -shared -Wl,--start-group hello.o -Wl,-Bstatic -Wl,-Bdynamic -lboost_python -ldl -lpthread -lutil -Wl,--end-group
Here we see the problem, you need "-L/usr/includ/lib" just before "-lboost_python". So execute this to link the shared library correctly: g++ -o hello_ext.so -Wl,-h -Wl,hello_ext.so -shared -Wl,--start-group hello.o -Wl,-Bstatic -Wl,-Bdynamic -L/usr/local/lib -lboost_python -ldl -lpthread -lutil -Wl,--end-group
You may need to rerun ldconfig (or reboot) sudo ldconfig
And you are finally ready to go: user@computer > python3 Python 3.5.2 (default, Nov 17 2016, 17:05:23) [GCC 5.4.0 20160609] on linux Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>> import hello_ext >>> hello_ext.greet() 'hello, world' >>> exit()