Re: [boost] Boost XML Serialization Stability across library versions

Subject: Re: [boost] Boost XML Serialization Stability across library versions
From: Adlai Shawareb (adlai_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-01-24 21:29:41

Thank you. We are really looking at Boost Serialization as a way to manage changes in the data stored in the memory chip. In future versions we may add a float or remove an int, and need to be backward compatible with those changes.

Is there a feature in Boost that would support managing data in that way?

The only alternative to serialization we've come up with is to use unions and structs to selectively include or exclude data as the versions change.

Thanks,
Adlai

From: Boost [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of Robert Ramey
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 5:54 PM
To: boost_at_[hidden]
Subject: Re: [boost] Boost XML Serialization Stability across library versions

On 1/24/17 3:52 PM, Adlai Shawareb wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We want to generate an Serialized XML archive now, and be able to deserialize it and get the same data it in the future.
>
> Is Boost XML Serialization guaranteed to be compatible across versions of the library?

It is certainly meant to be. But it is not explicity tested so it can't
be guaranteed. If someone wanted to make tests for this, we would look
into incorporating them into the test suite.

>
> The XML serialized archive would be stored in a memory chip and, in the future, read back and deserialized. I don't believe that would impact the answer, but want to offer that.

Hmmmm. Remember that the XML generated by the serialization library
includes special tags to support the recover of the original C++ data
structure which produced the archive. So it's not particularly well
suited to "external" applications and, as far as I know, used to recover
the data by a C++ program. So if one is going to do this, I don't see
much point in using xml. One could get the same portability while using
plain text with a lot less overhead.

Robert Ramey

> Adlai
>
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