Re: [Boost-users] Boost XML Serialization

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] Boost XML Serialization
From: Nat Goodspeed (nat_at_[hidden])
Date: 2014-09-19 11:19:15

On Fri, Sep 19, 2014 at 5:17 AM, Manasi Deshpande
<Manasi.Deshpande_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> There are instances, where any XML data serialized on C++ platform needs to
> be de serialized on C# and vice versa. In C# life is straight forward; one
> needs no bothering about serialization and de serialization.
>
> I think in boost you can de serialize the XML document only if it is built
> using Boost Serialization. I think it is the case in C# also.

This is my opinion only; others may have other views...

I do not think Boost.Serialization is the right tool for your use
case. The great thing about Boost.Serialization is that it allows you
to focus on the design of your in-memory classes and, with minimal
intrusion, allow saving/restoring them. Boost.Serialization determines
the specific syntax of your serialization format, and it changes as
your classes change.

When you need to exchange data with other languages, though, I think
you actually do need to go through the exercise of designing your XML
documents and directly use an XML formatting/parsing library to read
and write them. The code to do that will hopefully be somewhat similar
between C++ and C#.

Your question then becomes: what do Boost users recommend for an XML
library? There is previous mailing-list traffic on that subject; you
can search the archives. In addition, of course, the landscape of
open-source libraries is continually changing.

Good luck!