[Boost-users] [Serialization] Testing if a provided file is actually a serialized archive

Subject: [Boost-users] [Serialization] Testing if a provided file is actually a serialized archive
From: Cedric Laczny (cedric.laczny_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-02-25 07:22:21

Hi,

I would like to know if there exists a way to check for a given file if it is 
actually a serialized archive or a pure txt-file, at best without the need to 
read in that file completely.
At the moment, I use boost::serialization to store self-defined class-instances 
in txt-files, so using something like the system's "file"-command would not 
bring me far.
Now I would like my program to distinguish if the provided input-argument is a 
text-file that needs to be parsed or if it can simply restore this previous 
instance. Of course, using a separate option indicating if an archive was 
passed would work, but IMHO is not very beautiful.

Best,

Cedric