[Boost-users] Serialization of dynamic data

From: Anders Sundman (anders.sundman_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-02-01 09:54:41

Hi!

About the boost::serialization library, what is the best way to handle 
dynamic data in classes? Any idéas, suggestions or caveats? I didn't 
manage to find anything about this in the docs.

Consider the following sample class:

struct Dyn {
        Dyn(int s) : data(0), size(s) {
                data = new char[size];
        }

        ~Dyn() { delete data; }

        char* data;
        int size;

private:
        friend class boost::serialization::access;
        template< class Archive > void serialize( Archive &ar, unsigned int ver ) {
                // -> ar & data; What to do here?
                ar & size;
        }
};

What to do with the data pointer?

Is there any way to determine (in the serialize function) if a 
serialization or "de-serialization" is taking place? And have different 
behaviours - either allocating a new char[x] or copying data to the archive?

Is there any way to store dynamic data in an archive?

Best regards,
Anders Sundman