Re: [boost] [serialization] proposed improvements: forward-compatibility of serialization

Subject: Re: [boost] [serialization] proposed improvements: forward-compatibility of serialization
From: Sohail Somani (sohail_at_[hidden])
Date: 2014-04-15 11:01:52

On 2014-04-14, 5:15 AM, Andrzej Horoszczak wrote:
> Hello Everybody,
>
> (it seems that my previous post had contained only title - so I repeat
> the full posting below)
>
>
> We've started (again) using boost::serialization in our multi-platform
> distributed application about one year ago. However, we have arrived at
> a road block with forward-compatibility of serialization - which of
> major importance to us since we cannot force users to upgrade to the
> same/newer version of application all at the same time.

This was a problem that interested me a few years ago so I made a 
solution that worked with any archive and I presented it at BoostCon 
(now CppNow). It was inefficient, hacky and required no modifications to 
existing archives but forward compatibility did work so I know it is 
completely possible. The proposal itself doesn't seem impossible, at a 
glance.

My immediate question would be whether you already have released code 
for the products in question which complicates things a bit.

Sohail