Re: [boost] [serialization] Support for multiple class name strings

From: Emil Dotchevski (emildotchevski_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-03-16 14:30:04

> This was my thought as well.  In fact, I'm going to switch all our
> BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT(T) macros to BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT_GUID(T, "[T's
> canonical name]") macros, and leave a giant note for others to do the
> same ("Here there be dragons", etc.).  In light of this problem, I
> would say that while use of BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT() is convenient, it is
> ultimately a maintenance burden.

In my opinion the convenience of BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT is offset by the problem 
Zach is facing, as well as by the physical coupling it introduces between 
user classes and boost::serialization.

Because serialize/load/save are function templates, and because all 
serialize/load/save calls made from inside another serialize/load/save 
function template depend on a template parameter (the Archive type), in 
principle the serialization of a given class foo can be defined in foo.hpp 
without including any boost serialization headers, however this is not 
possible if BOOST_CLASS_EXPORT is used, because its purpose is to trigger 
the registration automatically just because foo.hpp is #included.

I would suggest separating all registration in a single compilation unit 
called explicitly by the main initialization code (having everything in one 
place makes it much easier to keep track of the IDs for each class.) That 
compilation unit would include the headers of all classes that need to be 
serialized, as well as the registration facilities of boost serialization, 
and register each combination of class and archive that the program uses 
(each dynamically linked library would need its own similar initialization 
as well.)

Emil Dotchevski