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digitalmars.D - [RFC] Object Serialization

reply Dejan Lekic <dejan.lekic gmail.com> writes:
These days I am working on object serialization class (and interface) and would
like D-brains' comments on following request:

Add a new keyword to D which would enable functionality the "transient" keyword
does in JAVA.

I am not a JAVA fan, I have never been, but I just like how elegant JAVA is
when it comes to object serialization.

Here is an example how it would "look like":

----------------------------->8------------------------------
class User: Serializable
{
  int id;
  char[] fname;
  char[] sname;
  transient char[] plan;
  // ... methods and constructors here
}

File f = new File("dcommunity.dat", FileMode.Append);
ObjectStream objs = new ObjectStream(f);
User cm = new User(1, "Christopher", "Miller");
objs.writeObject(cm);
objs.flush();
-----------------------------8<------------------------------

The reason behind "transient" keyword is simply to prevent something
unimportant from serialization.

After discussion on irc://irc.freenode.org/D IRC channel I have decided to use
mixins in order to specify what members are included in serialization - oposite
of what "transient" does, because in case of mixin-use it is more clear to
specify what should be serialized, than to specify what will not be serialized.
:)

I really think adding "transient" keyword would improve D, but I might have
overlooked something, that is why I started this thread.

Kind regards

Dejan
Mar 18 2007
parent reply kris <foo bar.com> writes:
Dejan Lekic wrote:

 These days I am working on object serialization class (and interface) and
would like D-brains' comments on following request:
 
 Add a new keyword to D which would enable functionality the "transient"
keyword does in JAVA.
 
 I am not a JAVA fan, I have never been, but I just like how elegant JAVA is
when it comes to object serialization.
 
 Here is an example how it would "look like":
 
 ----------------------------->8------------------------------
 class User: Serializable
 {
   int id;
   char[] fname;
   char[] sname;
   transient char[] plan;
   // ... methods and constructors here
 }
 
 File f = new File("dcommunity.dat", FileMode.Append);
 ObjectStream objs = new ObjectStream(f);
 User cm = new User(1, "Christopher", "Miller");
 objs.writeObject(cm);
 objs.flush();
 -----------------------------8<------------------------------
 
 The reason behind "transient" keyword is simply to prevent something
unimportant from serialization.
 
 After discussion on irc://irc.freenode.org/D IRC channel I have decided to use
mixins in order to specify what members are included in serialization - oposite
of what "transient" does, because in case of mixin-use it is more clear to
specify what should be serialized, than to specify what will not be serialized.
:)
 
 I really think adding "transient" keyword would improve D, but I might have
overlooked something, that is why I started this thread.
 
 Kind regards
 
 Dejan


This was one of the principal things Java got wrong in the lib, IMO. The 
serialization is riddled with special cases, 'secret' method signatures, 
and overhead up the wazoo. I firmly believe it is entirely the wrong way 
to go about this, even though it appears simple to apply at first blush

2 cents
Mar 18 2007
parent Graham St Jack <grahams acres.com.au> writes:
My own opinion is that things that need to be serialised should be used
"just" for serialisation. In D, they would be structs. Trying to have a
class fill the needs of internal program logic and serialisation just
gets you into trouble.

Once you make this separation, lots of possibilities open up. For
example, you can send "events" between applications when things happen,
and the receiving end applies them to its object model. Some advantages
of this approach are:
* Much less data needs to be transmitted
* The intent of the data transfer is clear
* Observers can be (correctly) advised of the event at the receiving end


kris wrote:

 Dejan Lekic wrote:

 These days I am working on object serialization class (and interface)
 and would like D-brains' comments on following request:

 Add a new keyword to D which would enable functionality the
 "transient" keyword does in JAVA.

 I am not a JAVA fan, I have never been, but I just like how elegant
 JAVA is when it comes to object serialization.

 Here is an example how it would "look like":

 ----------------------------->8------------------------------
 class User: Serializable
 {
   int id;
   char[] fname;
   char[] sname;
   transient char[] plan;
   // ... methods and constructors here
 }

 File f = new File("dcommunity.dat", FileMode.Append);
 ObjectStream objs = new ObjectStream(f);
 User cm = new User(1, "Christopher", "Miller");
 objs.writeObject(cm);
 objs.flush();
 -----------------------------8<------------------------------

 The reason behind "transient" keyword is simply to prevent something
 unimportant from serialization.

 After discussion on irc://irc.freenode.org/D IRC channel I have
 decided to use mixins in order to specify what members are included in
 serialization - oposite of what "transient" does, because in case of
 mixin-use it is more clear to specify what should be serialized, than
 to specify what will not be serialized. :)

 I really think adding "transient" keyword would improve D, but I might
 have overlooked something, that is why I started this thread.

 Kind regards

 Dejan


 
 This was one of the principal things Java got wrong in the lib, IMO. The
 serialization is riddled with special cases, 'secret' method signatures,
 and overhead up the wazoo. I firmly believe it is entirely the wrong way
 to go about this, even though it appears simple to apply at first blush
 
 2 cents
Mar 25 2007