[Boost-users] Serializing a char *

From: Diane (dbutton_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-08-28 22:47:16

Based on tutorial and reference material, and some previous posts here, it seems
like I should be able to serialize a char* by using a wrapper like tracked_char:

BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF(char, tracked_char)

template<class Archive>
void serialize(Archive &ar, tracked_char & tc){
    ar & tc;
}

But when I try to serialize my struct that contains char*:

typedef struct MYSTRUCT
{
   char chtest;
   char *chstar;
} MYSTRUCT;

template<class Archive>
void serialize(Archive & ar, MYSTRUCT & it, const unsigned int version)
{
   ar & it.chtest;
   tracked_char *tcp = it.chstar;  //****error on this line****//
   ar & *tcp;
}

I get this compile error: cannot convert `char*' to `tracked_char*' in
initialization

What is the compiler complaining about here? How do I fix it? I'm not sure if I
have the correct usage of BOOST_STRONG_TYPEDEF, so I also tried:

struct tracked_char {
    char m_char;     // the real data
    template<class Archive>
    void serialize(Archive &ar, unsigned int version){
        ar & m_char;
    }
    // casting operators - not compiled
    char operator char () const {   //****error here****//
        return m_char;
    }
    char & operator char() {        //****error here****//
        return m_char;
    }
};

I need someone to point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Diane