Re: [boost] RE: Serialization Library Review

From: Matthias Troyer (troyer_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-11-17 18:22:50

We use both XML and binary XDR formats for serialization in our 
applications: XML for short files and for meta-information, files in 
XDR and/or HDF5 for large data sets. While I can imagine a 
serialization of a class into XML as part of a serialization library 
like the one proposed, I cannot easily imagine deserialization in the 
framework of the current library. It would need a full XML parser, 
which does not yet exist in boost.

Matthias

On Sunday, November 17, 2002, at 11:55 PM, Peter Dimov wrote:

> From: "Robert Ramey" <ramey_at_[hidden]>
>> From: "Peter Dimov" <pdimov_at_[hidden]>
>>
>>> FWIW, in my experience, XML is a better test for whether a 
>>> serialization
>>> library handles custom formats well. Sequence-based, header-only 
>>> formats
> are
>>> very similar, but a reasonable XML serializer creates a tree-like
>>> representation, with nested tags.
>>
>> After a cursory investigation as to what it would take to make an XML
>> archive, I've concluded that:
>>
>> a) I don't thing XML is rich enough to capture all possible C++ data
> structures
>>
>> b) This would imply the creation of a system of reflection for C++
>>     i) I not convinced this is a good idea
>>     ii) should be dealt with as an indepent project in any case
>>
>> c) XML has a central task to represent data in a platform/programming
> language
>> independent way.  Serialization has the central task of 
>> saving/restore the
>> totality of the state of C++ data structures.  These tasks are not
> identical
>> and any course of action based on the presumption that they are is
>> doomed to be frustrating an most likely a failure in my opinion.
>
> FWIW, my experience directly contradicts all of your points. It is 
> possible
> that I misunderstood them, of course, as you haven't provided details.
>
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