Re: [Boost-users] [serialization, archive] Serialize boost::shared_ptr to custom archive

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [serialization, archive] Serialize boost::shared_ptr to custom archive
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-03-14 22:27:56

Francois Mauger wrote:
>>>> Le 10/03/2013 17:56, Robert Ramey a écrit :
>>
>> I can explain this.
>>
>> shared_ptr does not fullfil the type requirements for a serializable
>> object. That is, it doesn't model the serializable concept.  So I
>> had to include special archive code to permit serialization of
>> shared_ptr.  This is the only place in the library where there is a 
>> coupling between
>> archive classes and any object type to be serialized.
>>
>> The real fix is to modify the serialization library to include the
>> facility built for shared_ptr in a generic manner.  This is doable
>> but would require some work.  It would also require expansion of the
>> documentation and "serializable" concept.  And of course tests etc. It's 
>> not a huge project, but it's not trivial either.  And sooner or
>> later it's going to be necessary to accomodate std::shared_ptr.
>>
>> Robert Ramey
>>
>
> Hi Robert, all
>
> Hmm, a question related to Robert's comment...
>
> In my group, we use boost::shared_ptr<> instances to implement smart
> relationships between various objects of a transcient physics data
> model (particle/nuclear decays in a large detector).
>
> The Boost/serialization lib (text + XML + eos::portable v5.0 I/O
> archives) is (and will be)  used to store/load 10s of TB of
> experimental and simulated physics data.
>
> Our experimental project is supposed to last ~10 years and we do need
> to ensure backward compatibility for reading the data files we will
> accumulate during the experimental data collection and the production
> of large samples of monte-carlo data on various academic computing
> clusters.
> My question is:
> If, within some upcoming years, the Boost/Serialization migrates to
> "fullfil the type requirements for a serializable object"
> and, more, if we change boost::shared_ptr object into std::shared_ptr
> in our data model, do you think it will be possible to ensure the
> backward compatibility for our data storage ? I mean in a way as
> simple as using class Boost versioning... or even having a storage
> format completely unchanged !

I would expect it to be either unchanged or use class versioning.

> thanks in advance.
>
> regards
>
> frc