Re: [Boost-users] Serialization newbie needs help

From: Jeff Flinn (TriumphSprint2000_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-08-21 08:30:39

Dominick Layfield wrote:
> "Robert Ramey" <ramey_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>> Actually, I've considered reviewing all the email in this list and 
>> summarizing
>> the results in a section "Hints and Troubleshooting Tips".  I think this
>> is useful and necessary and useful, but I just havent gotten around to it.
> 
> That sounds ideal.
> 
> 
>  > > But if you could provide me an example of when pointer serialization
>  > > shines,
>  > > then I would say "Aha! Now I understand why Robert went to so much
>  > > trouble to make this work.", and I could be at peace with the world
>  > > again!   :-)
>  >
>> LOL - I haven't had time to make any real apps lately.
> 
> So... no example at all?
> 
> My problem is that I just don't see when pointer serialization would be a big 
> win.  But I can't tell if I just have a limited perspective.  That's why I was 
> genuinely hoping that you could provide a concrete example.

See http://www.adi.com/products_sim_ad_de.htm. This product maintains 
numerous connections between model ports. Among numerous other 
under-the-hood pointers, there are containers of connections which are 
pairs of boost::shared_ptr<Port>'s. The state of the entire system is 
saved/loaded to/from file using boost::serialization. This would be 
undoable without the ability to serialize pointers, and such a facility 
in my mind could not be called a serialization library.

I'm not sure if this is concrete enough for you. But I for the life of 
me can not see how you could serialize the state of any moderate size 
system without serializing pointers. Do your applications have no 
sharing relations? Do they not contain any polymorphic collections? Do 
they only create items on the stack or in static memory?

Jeff Flinn