Re: [boost] [serialize] xml archives and base 64 encoded binary data

From: Daryle Walker (darylew_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-10-21 01:16:52

On 10/20/04 12:17 PM, "Robert Ramey" <ramey_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> When I wrote the code for encoding/decoding base64 I didn't include the
> trailing "=" required by the standard defnition of base64.   This was for a
> couple of reasons:
> 
> a) My de-serialization code didn't require the existence of "=" padding
> characters
> b) I didn't anticipate that the base64 text would be used by applications
> other than serialization
> c) I was short of time and had lots of other things to do.
> 
> We'll take a look at this for 1.33.

This looks like a potential bug in the making, so I don't think we should
just punt on the issue until next time (especially if the time between
releases continues to lengthen).  This could lead to us and all other
base-64 decoders after 1.32 is released to include code that forgives the
lack of "=" symbols for "backwards compatibility with the 'broken from a
standards perspective' base-64 encoder given in Boost 1.32".   (In other
words, we'll be _creating_ a situation like coding workarounds for broken
compilers or coding HTML/CSS workarounds for broken compilers.)

For what we could do:

1.  Put a note in the serialization docs saying that its base-64 technique
is private to itself and should _not_ be used in conjunction with outside
code expecting to encode or decode standard base-64 data.

2.  Fix the current base-64 code to match the outside standard

[1] is quick-and-dirty and barely better than doing nothing.  [2] would be
the better overall fix.  How long would it take to add "=" processing?  If
it's short enough, maybe the release could wait for it.  (We've already used
a lot of time between the 1.32 preparation announcement and the actual
branch.)

-- 
Daryle Walker
Mac, Internet, and Video Game Junkie
darylew AT hotmail DOT com