Re: [Boost-users] [serialization] tuples and portable_binary_archive

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [serialization] tuples and portable_binary_archive
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-08-19 13:46:16

Richard Ulrich wrote:

I used boost serialize with some smaller projects, which always worked
nicely. But now I want to use it on a bigger one. And I wonder why some
things seem to be missing.

- tuple: There is code on the Internet in various places for bridging
boost::serialize with boost::tuple. But why isn't there an official
version in either boost::serialize or boost::tuple?

*** because no one has submitted one.  Feel free to submit your
version (including tests and documentation) to the vault and/or TRACK
system  badger those responsable for boost.tuple to included in that
library.

- portable_binary_archive: There are also some implementations around,
one even in the examples of boost::serialization. But why is it not in
the official library itself?

*** I made it as a demo, then I had to maintain it and it sort of became
a pain.  Another problem is that the handling of various types of
Nan varied alot between systems.  All in all it was a lot of work
to maintain and no one wanted to do it.  I notice the current
version includes floats but doesn't deal witn Nan.  I have no idea
where that came from.  My current view is that such an archive
should throw an exception when trying to serialize a Nan.  I've
always held the view that anyone who want's to serialize a Nan
is making a mistake - though some have strenuously argument
that there is a legitimate reason for wanting to do this.
The whole notion of portably handling binary floats is very tricky
to get right.

Robert Ramey