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4 | (C) Copyright 2002-4 Robert Ramey - http://www.rrsd.com . | |
5 | Use, modification and distribution is subject to the Boost Software | |
6 | License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at | |
7 | http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt) | |
8 | --> | |
9 | <head> | |
10 | <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> | |
11 | <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../../boost.css"> | |
12 | <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style.css"> | |
13 | <title>Serialization - Proposed Case Studies</title> | |
14 | </head> | |
15 | <body link="#0000ff" vlink="#800080"> | |
16 | <table border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0" width="100%" summary="header"> | |
17 | <tr> | |
18 | <td valign="top" width="300"> | |
19 | <h3><a href="../../../index.htm"><img height="86" width="277" alt="C++ Boost" src="../../../boost.png" border="0"></a></h3> | |
20 | </td> | |
21 | <td valign="top"> | |
22 | <h1 align="center">Serialization</h1> | |
23 | <h2 align="center">Proposed Case Studies</h2> | |
24 | </td> | |
25 | </tr> | |
26 | </table> | |
27 | <hr> | |
28 | <dl class="index"> | |
29 | <dt><a href="#functionobject">Serializing a Function Object</a></dt> | |
30 | <dt><a href="#archiveadaptor">Archive Adaptors</a></dt> | |
31 | <dt><a href="#archivehelper">Archive Helpers</a></dt> | |
32 | </dl> | |
33 | ||
34 | These are not part of the library itself, but rather | |
35 | techiques on how to use the library to address specific situations. | |
36 | ||
37 | <h2><a name="functionobject"></a>Serializing a Function Object</h2> | |
38 | An example on how to serialize a function object. I believe this | |
39 | could be done by serializing a pointer to the object in question. Since | |
40 | the Serialization library resurrects a pointer of the correct type | |
41 | this should be easily implementable. | |
42 | <p> | |
43 | If a group of function objects were all derived from the | |
44 | same polymorphic base class - perhaps via multiple inheritance, | |
45 | then the function object effectively becomes a "variable" which | |
46 | encapsulates code. | |
47 | <p> | |
48 | This case study would show how to do this. | |
49 | ||
50 | <h2><a name="archiveadaptor"></a>Archive Adaptors</h2> | |
51 | ||
52 | Often users want to add their own special functionality to an | |
53 | existing archive. Examples of this are performance enhancements | |
54 | for specific types, adjustment of output syntax for xml archives, | |
55 | and logging/debug output as archives are written and/or read. | |
56 | If this functionality is implemented as an "adaptor" template | |
57 | which takes the base class as a template argument, such functionality could be | |
58 | appended to any archive for which that functionality makes sense. | |
59 | For example, an adaptor for generating an xml schema could be | |
60 | appended to both wide and narrow character versions of xml archives. | |
61 | <p> | |
62 | This case study would show how to make a useful archive adaptor. | |
63 | ||
64 | <h2><a name="archivehelper"></a>Archive Helpers</h2> | |
65 | Some types are not serializable as they stand. That is - they | |
66 | do not fulfill the requirements of the "Serializable Concept". | |
67 | The iconic example of this is boost::shared_ptr. Sometimes | |
68 | these types could be made serializable by adding code inside | |
69 | the library. Of course, doing that would create a lifetime | |
70 | of unpaid employment for the library author. Rather than | |
71 | adding a bunch of special code to the library itself, this | |
72 | code can packaged as a "helper" or "mix-in" class. Then | |
73 | a new archive is derived from both the "base" archive class | |
74 | AND the "helper" class. This is how boost::shared_ptr | |
75 | has been implemented. | |
76 | <p> | |
77 | It would also be possible to make a "generic runtime helper" | |
78 | which would effectively extend the API of the library. Previously | |
79 | the library included such a helper class. It was removed | |
80 | in favor of the current implementation. But this functionality | |
81 | should be added back in with another adaptor which would | |
82 | become part of the library. | |
83 | ||
84 | <hr> | |
85 | <p>Revised 1 November, 2008 | |
86 | <p><i>© Copyright <a href="http://www.rrsd.com">Robert Ramey</a> 2002-2008. | |
87 | Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See | |
88 | accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt) | |
89 | </i></p> | |
90 | </body> | |
91 | </html> |