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Boost:Serialization

Example

A Very Simple Case

#include <fstream>

// include headers that implement a archive in simple text format
#include <boost/archive/text_oarchive.hpp>
#include <boost/archive/text_iarchive.hpp>

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// gps coordinate
//
// illustrates serialization for a simple type
//
class gps_position
{
private:
    friend class boost::serialization::access;
    // When the class Archive corresponds to an output archive, the
    // & operator is defined similar to <<.  Likewise, when the class Archive
    // is a type of input archive the & operator is defined similar to >>.
    template<class Archive>
    void serialize(Archive & ar, const unsigned int version)
    {
        ar & degrees;
        ar & minutes;
        ar & seconds;
    }
    int degrees;
    int minutes;
    float seconds;
public:
    gps_position(){};
    gps_position(int d, int m, float s) :
        degrees(d), minutes(m), seconds(s)
    {}
};

int main() {
    // create and open a character archive for output
    std::ofstream ofs("filename");

    // create class instance
    const gps_position g(35, 59, 24.567f);

    // save data to archive
    {
        boost::archive::text_oarchive oa(ofs);
        // write class instance to archive
        oa << g;
        // archive and stream closed when destructors are called
    }

    // ... some time later restore the class instance to its orginal state
    gps_position newg;
    {
        // create and open an archive for input
        std::ifstream ifs("filename");
        boost::archive::text_iarchive ia(ifs);
        // read class state from archive
        ia >> newg;
        // archive and stream closed when destructors are called
    }
    return 0;
}

Splitting serialize into save/load

#include <boost/serialization/list.hpp>
#include <boost/serialization/string.hpp>
#include <boost/serialization/version.hpp>
#include <boost/serialization/split_member.hpp>

class bus_route
{
    friend class boost::serialization::access;
    std::list<bus_stop *> stops;
    std::string driver_name;
    template<class Archive>
    void save(Archive & ar, const unsigned int version) const
    {
        // note, version is always the latest when saving
        ar  & driver_name;
        ar  & stops;
    }
    template<class Archive>
    void load(Archive & ar, const unsigned int version)
    {
        if(version > 0)
            ar & driver_name;
        ar  & stops;
    }
    BOOST_SERIALIZATION_SPLIT_MEMBER()
public:
    bus_route(){}
};

BOOST_CLASS_VERSION(bus_route, 1)

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