Re: [boost] [serialization] extended_type_info as extensions/plugins library ?

From: Martin Bonner (martin.bonner_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-10-09 04:31:57

>From Janek Kozicki:
> So I think that this should be the goal to pursue if we want to add
> an extensions/plugin library into boost.
> 
> Think of it. With two separate libraries (one for serialization
> and one for plugins) the user will have to register each class twice.
> Serialization already registers classes with GUID (Global Unique
> IDentifier) so plugins/extensions library should take advantage of
> that. 

I'm not convinced.  It seems to me that the registration for plugins and
for serialization is rather different.

Serialization:
- When you see this GUID, this is how to create the class.

Plugins:
- This is another object with an IFoo interface.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean by plugin, but I think of
something like Internet Explorer, or Photoshop, where the application
has a bunch of IFoo pointers, and it iterates through all of them to
extend its menu.  When the menu is clicked it calls the appropriate
function through the IFoo pointer.

I don't really see how the two relate.

-- 
Martin Bonner
Martin.Bonner_at_[hidden]
Pi Technology, Milton Hall, Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6WZ,
ENGLAND Tel: [phone]