Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #4660: Error read binary archive, created by old boost version

Subject: Re: [Boost-bugs] [Boost C++ Libraries] #4660: Error read binary archive, created by old boost version
From: Boost C++ Libraries (noreply_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-18 09:46:00

#4660: Error read binary archive, created  by old boost version
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  Reporter:  serge-voropaev@…          |       Owner:  ramey        
      Type:  Bugs                      |      Status:  new          
 Milestone:  To Be Determined          |   Component:  serialization
   Version:  Boost 1.44.0              |    Severity:  Showstopper  
Resolution:                            |    Keywords:               
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Comment (by hajokirchhoff):

 Hi there, I am bitten by this as well.

 Problem: Prior to 1.44 the archive version was written as "one byte".
 Starting with 1.44 archive version type changed from 'version_type' to
 'library_version_type' and is expected to be read as two bytes.

 There is a comment in basic_archive.cpp:

 {{{
 // 7 - separated version_type into library_version_type and
 class_version_type
 //     changed version_type to be stored as 8 bits.

 }}}

 this definitely points to the problem.

 This is a really __serious__ problem, a potential showstopper. The longer
 this remains open, the more binary archives of version <1.44 and 1.44 will
 both exist. And if this problem cannot be resolved in a backwards
 compatible way, either all binary <1.44 or all binary 1.44 archives will
 break.

 Also I think it is __imperative__ to add backwards compatibility to the
 test suite! A new version of boost::serialization should not be released
 unless tests reading previous versions of the archives pass.

 Breaking changes to the archives are really, really bad! And I mean really
 bad!

 (Otherwise, thanks a lot for your work. It's a great library :-)

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/4660#comment:9>
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