Re: [Boost-users] [serialization] How do I unit-test serialization?

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-06-27 17:00:26

Sohail Somani wrote:
> Daryle Walker wrote:
>> Do I just serialize to a memory buffer, then serialize from the same
>> buffer, and then compare the source and destination objects?
>
> This is one way. You can also try executing the exact same operations
> on source and destination to ensure you get the same results. This
> can work (for example) when you have a class hierarchy and there is
> some meaningful common ground on which to do these tests.
>
> Should I
>> use a text format (plain and/or XML) with a string-stream
>> source/sink so I can check by reading?  Should I make up a string of
>> a text archive and have my routine try reading it?
>
> Never use anything except what you will use in production. If you are
> using binary, then use the binary archives to write to a buffer.

Hmm - my view is the opposite - test everything.

The serialization library tests are setup so that all archive classes
are tested against all serializable types.  This has been referred
to as the "carpet bombing" approach.  Crude? true, Effective?
pretty much.

Robert Ramey