Re: [boost] Serialization Library Draft # 10

From: Matthias Troyer (troyer_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-09-04 10:22:13

Dear Robert,

I'm also impressed by how much effort you have invested and am working 
myself through the documentation now. I will have a number of questions 
regarding your resolution of some of my concerns from the last review, 
and wonder whether I should send you the list in private or openly on 
the list here? I assume that currently we are at an informal discussion 
stage and not in a formal review?

Best regards

Matthias

On Wednesday, Sep 3, 2003, at 19:18 Europe/Zurich, Robert Ramey wrote:

> Fellow boosters,
>
> I have just uploaded a draft version of the serialization library to 
> the files section under the file name serialization10.zip.
>
> Platforms
>
>     I have successfuly compiled, linked, and run all code and tests on 
> MSVC 7.0. I believe that with a few changes, the system could be made 
> work with MSVC 6.0 as well.
>
>     I have successfuly compiled all code and tests with GCC version 
> 3.2.1 under cygwin. I am currently attempting to get tests to link and 
> run.
>
>     I have only built debug versions. In my experience this is not 
> enough. Release builds and test are required.
>
> Differences from Previous Versions
>
> I believe this version of the serialization library addresses all 
> issues raised in the review of the previous version undertaken in 
> November 2002
>
>     Much finer grained modularity. Library consists of 109 source and 
> header files as opposed to a handful before.
>
>     More complete testing. 46 different tests are included. The 
> majority are run with each different type of archive.
>
>     Archives use templates rather than virtual inheritance for their 
> implementation. This has the following effects:
>
>         Code runs measurably faster.
>         Since primitives are generated from templates, all the 
> non-standard variations such as _int64, long long are taken care of    
>                              automatically. Before it was a big 
> headache to figure which set of functions should be code for which 
> compilers.
>         Should permit easier derivation from existing archive classes.
>         Classes to be serialized can be assigned traits to control 
> serialization . For example, this permits suppression of class 
> information and/or tracking on a class by class basis.
>         Default runtime typing can be replaced with a custom 
> implementation on a class by class basis.
>         Polymorphic base classes serialized through a pointers can be 
> related to an external key (e.g. class name), as opposed to "forward 
> declaring" them.
>         An XML Archive implemention is now included. Othogonality 
> between serialization specification and archive selection has been 
> maintained. That, is any class for which serialization has been 
> specified can be serialized to any archive type without any changes in 
> serialization or archive code.
>         Full integration into the boost build, and test system via 
> jamfiles.
>
> Please feel free to examine, build and / or test.   I look forward to 
> your comments.
>
> Robert Ramey
>
>
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