Re: [boost] [serialization] How are floating point values handled?

Subject: Re: [boost] [serialization] How are floating point values handled?
From: John Maddock (john_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-08-07 13:38:13

> This actually raises a problem when using text archives with floating 
> point data - if you want to be able to round trip the values, then how 
> many digits precision should you set the stream to?  Particularly if 
> you're saving a complex structure containing different floating point 
> types of differing precisions?

Let me rephrase this somewhat: if I'm the author of a complex data structure 
that contains floating point data and I make it serializable, I have no way 
to ensure serialization proceeds correctly: instead that burden falls on the 
person creating the archive.  For sure in small projects these will be the 
same person, but clearly not when "library writing".   And yes, I realize 
that many compilers don't round trip floating point values even when you 
print "enough" digits, but at least they get close.  The current default 
situation is to print just 5 digits, and that certainly doesn't get close! 
But, rant over for now ;-)

Cheers, John.