[Boost-users] [Serialization] load_binary/save_binary purpose

From: Peter S. (peterst_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-08-30 19:34:06

Hi,

I'm fairly new to boost so please excuse if my question may sound  
stupid :)
I was wondering what the actual purpose of the load_binary/save_binary  
methods of the Archive concept classes is. In the documentation  
section "Archive Concepts", it is noted, that save_binary( u, count )  
"Appends to the archive size_t(count) bytes found at u" and  
load_binary( u, count ) "Retrieves from la size_t(count) bytes and  
stores them in memory starting at u".
Is this meant to a) enable appending random data after some object was  
serialized to the archive or is this really b) a lowlevel interface  
through which all data is read/written to the archive, as one could  
think (or at least, I did :)) by reading the "Archive Class Reference"  
also found in the documentation? And if case b) applies, couldn't that  
become a problem, when someone likes to implement an archive where it  
isn't quite possible to write raw binary data to as additional  
information is needed (databases/column names come to mind)?

Thanks and bye,
Peter