Serialize CArray Class/Object in C++

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Introduction

People frequently ask how to serialize CArray object. There is a simple way to serialize CArray. You will find it very simple by reading an example.

Using the Example

This is the class for data to be serialized. I have used int, CString and char* so you can understand better.

#pragma once
class SaveFile :public CObject
{
    DECLARE_SERIAL(SaveFile)
public:
    SaveFile(void);
    SaveFile(SaveFile &Sv)
    {*this=Sv;}
    ~SaveFile(void);
    CString FName;
    char *FData;
    ULONGLONG MySize;
    virtual void Serialize(CArchive &pArchive);
    SaveFile& operator=(SaveFile & SvFi);
};

This is the CPP file of SaveFile class. Use CArchive to store and load CArray from/to file.

#include "StdAfx.h"
#include "SaveFile.h"

IMPLEMENT_SERIAL(SaveFile,CObject,0)
SaveFile::SaveFile(void)
{}
SaveFile::~SaveFile(void)
{}
void SaveFile::Serialize(CArchive & pArchive)
{
    CObject::Serialize(pArchive);
    if(pArchive.IsStoring())
    {    
        pArchive<<FName<<MySize;
        for(int i=0;i<MySize;i++)
        pArchive<<FData[i];
    }
    else
    {       pArchive>>FName>>MySize;
        FData=new char[MySize];
        for(int i=0;i<MySize;i++)
            pArchive>>FData[i];
    }
}

SaveFile& SaveFile::operator =(SaveFile&SvFo)
{
    FName=SvFo.FName;
    MySize=SvFo.MySize;
    FData=new char[MySize];
    for(int i=0;i<MySize;i++)
        FData[i]=SvFo.FData[i];

    return *this;
}

SaveFileHandler class is for storing/loading object of Savefile class to/from file .

In this CPP of SaveFileHandler SerializeElements<SaveFile>(CArchive& ar, SaveFile* pElements, int nCount) function is important. This is a global function which can be called from any class.

SaveFileHandler.h

#pragma once
#include "SaveFile.h"

class SaveFileHandler
{
public:
    SaveFileHandler(void);
public:
    ~SaveFileHandler(void);
    void AddSomeData();
    void SerializeCArray();
    CArray<SaveFile, SaveFile&> SF;
};

SaveFileHandler.cpp

 #include "StdAfx.h"
#include "SaveFileHandler.h"
#include "SaveFile.h"

SaveFileHandler::SaveFileHandler(void)
{}
SaveFileHandler::~SaveFileHandler(void)
{}
SaveFileHandler::AddSomeData()
{
    SaveFile SvFo ;
    int Length;//assuming some length
    SvFo.FData=new char[(size_t)Length]; 
    SvFo.MySize=Length;
    
    for(int i=0;i<Length;i++)
        SvFo.FData[i]=FData[i]; //assuming FData have some Data in it
    SvFo.FName=MainPath;
    this->SF.Add(SvFo);
}

SaveFileHandler::SerializeCArray()
{
    CFile SvFi("SomeFile.dhari",CFile::modeCreate|CFile::modeWrite);
    CArchive Ar(&SvFi,CArchive::store);
        this->SF.Serialize(Ar);
}

template <> inline void AFXAPI SerializeElements<SaveFile>
			(CArchive& ar, SaveFile* pElements, int nCount)
{
    for (int i=0;i < nCount; i++,pElements++) 
    {
     if(ar.IsStoring())
        {
        pElements->Serialize(ar);
        }
      else
        {
        SaveFile* pSv = new SaveFile();
                pSv->Serialize(ar);
               *pElements = *pSv;
        }
    }
}

Conclusion

Feedback is welcome and appreciated whether it is constructive or not.

History

• 6^th February, 2007: Initial post