[Boost-users] [Serialization] Problems Getting Started

From: Jeffrey Brent McBeth (mcbeth_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-02-08 01:56:17

It seems that most people are getting past this, but I have been unable to
get serialization to get to work on even simple classes.  A search of the
last three months' archives and google didn't turn up anything obvious, so I
am relying on your good humor.

When I try to compile a (I think simple) class like

#include <fstream>
#include <boost/serialization/string.hpp>
#include <boost/archive/text_oarchive.hpp>
#include <boost/archive/text_iarchive.hpp>

class Card
{
public:
        Card():name("Icky"){}
private:
        std::string name;

        friend class boost::serialization::access;
        template <class Archive>
        void serialize(Archive &ar, const unsigned int version) 
        { ar & name; }
};

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
        const Card Howdy;

        std::ofstream ofs("Foo");
        boost::archive::text_oarchive oa(ofs);

        oa << Howdy;
}

I get myriad errors

mcbeth_at_sirocco ~/tmp/blah $ g++ blah.cpp  -lboost_serialization
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp: In constructor
'boost::archive::detail::oserializer<Archive, T>::oserializer() [with
Archive = boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]':
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:135:   instantiated from
'static boost::archive::detail::oserializer<Archive, T>&
boost::archive::detail::oserializer<Archive, T>::instantiate() [with Archive
= boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]'
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:264:   instantiated from
'static void boost::archive::detail::save_non_pointer_type<Archive,
T>::save_standard::invoke(Archive&, const T&) [with Archive =
boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]'
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:322:   instantiated from
'static void boost::archive::detail::save_non_pointer_type<Archive,
T>::invoke(Archive&, const T&) [with Archive =
boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]'
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:536:   instantiated from
'void boost::archive::save(Archive&, const T&) [with Archive =
boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]'
/usr/include/boost/archive/basic_text_oarchive.hpp:78:   instantiated from
'void boost::archive::basic_text_oarchive<Archive>::save_override(T&, int)
[with T = const Card, Archive = boost::archive::text_oarchive]'
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/interface_oarchive.hpp:78:   instantiated
from 'Archive&
boost::archive::detail::interface_oarchive<Archive>::operator<<(T&) [with T
= const Card, Archive = boost::archive::text_oarchive]'
blah.cpp:26:   instantiated from here
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:107: error: incomplete
type 'boost::serialization::extended_type_info_null<Card>' used in nested
name specifier
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp: In member function 'bool
boost::archive::detail::oserializer<Archive, T>::is_polymorphic() const
[with Archive = boost::archive::text_oarchive, T = Card]':
blah.cpp:26:   instantiated from here
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:131: error: invalid use of
undefined type 'struct boost::serialization::extended_type_info_null<Card>'
/usr/include/boost/serialization/type_info_implementation.hpp:26: error:
declaration of 'struct boost::serialization::extended_type_info_null<Card>'
/usr/include/boost/archive/detail/oserializer.hpp:132: error: invalid use of
undefined type 'struct boost::serialization::extended_type_info_null<Card>'
/usr/include/boost/serialization/type_info_implementation.hpp:26: error:
declaration of 'struct boost::serialization::extended_type_info_null<Card>'  

The relevant bit seems to be that extended_type_info_null<Card> is an
incomplete type, which would point to me missing an important header or
something.  Relevant details
Fails on (with slightly different wording but same errors)
Gentoo Linux, g++-4.1.1, Boost 1.33.1
Gentoo Linux, g++-3.4.6, Boost 1.33.1
Max OSX (Tiger), g++-4.0.1, Boost 1.33.1
Max OSX (Tiger), g++-3.3, Boost 1.33.1

If needed, I can try it out on a WinXP box with VS2003 in about 7 hours.

Thanks again for your patience
Jeff
-- 
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