Re: [boost] [serialization] use of unsigned int instead of size_type

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-11 21:14:46

David Abrahams wrote:
> "Peter Dimov" <pdimov_at_[hidden]> writes:
>
>> The status quo is that the size of the container is consistently
>> written or read as an unsigned int, is it not?
>
> I think so, though I could be mistaken.
>
>> Consider the simplistic example:
>>
>> void f( unsigned int ); // #1
>> void f( unsigned long ); // #2
>>
>> void g( std::vector<int> & v )
>> {
>>     unsigned int n1 = v.size();
>>     f( n1 ); // #1
>>
>>     size_t n2 = v.size();
>>     f( n2 ); // ???
>> }
>
> Sure.  So how does this relate to serialization?

Consider an archive where unsigned int and unsigned long have a different 
internal representation. When a value of a size_t type is written on 
platform A, where size_t == unsigned int, platform B, where size_t == 
unsigned long, won't be able to read the file.