[Boost-users] [serialization] Problems with BOOST_IS_ABSTRACT, gcc 3.2.3 and Boost 1.35.0

From: Dan Thomas (dan_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-07-16 11:47:42

Hi

If I use gcc 3.2.3 (Linux) and Boost 1.35.0 to compile the example program at...
   http://lists.boost.org/boost-users/att-26574/test_serialize.cpp
...I get extensive compile errors which I can summarise as:
   <path>/boost_1_35_0/boost/serialization/export.hpp:125:
      `instantiate'
   is not a member of type
      `boost::archive::detail::ptr_serialization_support<boost::archive::text_iarchive, base>'

These errors do not occur if I use either Boost 1.33.0 or Microsoft Visual Studio.

The fact that the test program's base class is abstract seems to be central to the problem. The error is eliminated if I remove the BOOST_IS_ABSTRACT(base) statement from the test program. Doing so naturally causes other problems but these are in turn fixed by making "base" concrete i.e. by removing the =0 qualifier from base::get_id() and providing an implementation.

It looks as if code in Boost 1.35.0 expects all classes to provide an instantiate method, even though the method is not in fact present on classes that have been marked as abstract. Is there any chance of a fix or work-around?

Many Thanks

Dan