Re: [boost] [Concept checking] Re: BCCL : Serialization Concept

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-12-29 12:32:22

Matthias Troyer wrote:
> On Dec 29, 2005, at 4:31 PM, Douglas Gregor wrote:
>
>>
>> On Dec 23, 2005, at 12:10 AM, nitin motgi wrote:
>>> Is there something in the pipeline for BCCL to validate the
>>> serialization
>>> concept.
>>
>> I don't know of anyone planning to do this, but it would be a great
>> addition to the concept checking library.
>
> The serialization concept might be a bit harder to validate than it
> seems initially, since there are various ways how serialization can
> be implemented. The ways that come to my mind (skipping over types
> directly supported by the library):
>
> - a serialize member function
> - a serialize free function
> - load_construct_data and save_construct_data functions for types
> without a default constructor, or types containing reference members

Only required of types to be serialized via pointers.

> - a save_override or load_override function in the archive class

Now that I think about it one can add

- types marked as "primitive" with save/load functions in the archive 
class(s).

BUT -

To be of value, the "serializable" concept has to be definable independently
of an archive class.  This isn't that easy either as the set of "primitive" 
types
will a vary depending on the compiler/library environment.

- compositions of other serializable types.  E.G. nvp<T> is serializable
if and only if T is a serializable type. Collections of serializable types
would fall into this catagory as well.

> Before working on this, it would be best to formalize the concepts.
> Robert has recently improved the archive concepts, and they could be
> taken as a starting point for concept checking on archives. The
> formal concepts for serializable types are, have far as I know, not
> been sufficiently formalized yet.
>
> Matthias
>
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