Re: [boost] [explore] Library Proposal: Container Streaming

Subject: Re: [boost] [explore] Library Proposal: Container Streaming
From: Vladimir Prus (vladimir_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-12-01 12:47:54

Robert Ramey wrote:

>> While this is possible, with a custom archive class, I hope you'll
>> agree that it will be rather heavyweight solution,
> 
> Hmmm -  I realize that the serialization library has a lot of template
> code.  But to me the issue is conceptual "heaviness".
> 
> In both libraries, the idea is to wrap extra information about types
> so that they can easily be displayed on a stream. In either library
> you just write
> 
> #include ...
> ...
> 
> output_stream << data
> 
> I just don't see the value in re-inventing of a whole new wheel.

It's an altogether different kind of wheel. Like, I am sure that if somebody
suggested to attach 15' car wheels, complete with suspension and studded tires,
to your office chair, you would not be exactly thrilled.

> By the time such a library would pass the
> boost review process, I'm sure it would be just as heavy
> weight (or more) than boost serialization.

This seems fairly unlikely.

> One would have a whole new interface to to something that
> is less capable.
> 
> Already the serialization library has an xml_archive as well
> as text archive.
> 
>> while a simple
>> output of output of std::vector can be implement in a 3-line template
>> function.
> 
> I didn't have to write even one line to template code to
> implement the example.

I though boost.serialization was written by you? And that code still has
to be parsed by the compiler.

- Volodya