[Boost-users] Boost Serialization now results in a compiler error - I have a fix, but I'm still unsure as to the cause

Subject: [Boost-users] Boost Serialization now results in a compiler error - I have a fix, but I'm still unsure as to the cause
From: Lasse Laursen (gazoo_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-05-10 03:32:15

Dear boosters,

I work with Cinder, creating an audio mixing app. Having recently 
reached a milestone, I've upgraded from Vs2010 to Vs2012 as well as to 
the latest Cinder (0.8.5) which also upgraded boost to 1.53.

While porting some code over that uses Serialization, I suddenly 
provoked the following compiler error:

error C4308: negative integral constant converted to unsigned type

pointing me at the following code in in the boost print.hpp:

template <class T>
struct print
     : mpl::identity<T>
#if defined(__MWERKS__)
     , aux::print_base
#endif
{
#if defined(BOOST_MSVC)
     enum { n = sizeof(T) + -1 };
#elif defined(__MWERKS__)
     void f(int);
#else
     enum {
         n =
# if defined(__EDG_VERSION__)
            aux::dependent_unsigned<T>::value > -1
# else
            sizeof(T) > -1
# endif
         };
#endif
};

It's specifically the 'enum { n = sizeof(T) + -1 };' which triggers the 
error. I simplified my code, and it seems to occur regardless of what I 
do when I use the << operator to serialize the simple object I'm working 
with.

Googling the issue turned up someone else in the same boat who received 
the same message as a warning, rather than a distinct *error*. The 
advice given was among other things to issue the following macro:

(http://lists.boost.org/boost-users/2010/05/59103.php)
BOOST_CLASS_TRACKING(mySimpleObject, boost::serialization::track_never)

My question is simply if someone else has experienced something similar 
after upgrading to vs2012 or perhaps knows what is causing it?

Given that I've not touched my code, and it seems to me that simply 
upgrading provoked this issue, I'm leaning towards assuming it's a 
recent computability issue between boost and msvc?

Regards,
Gazoo