How to Avoid Class ID Switching in C Serialization?

Serialization with Factory Pattern in C

This article discusses serialization in C and provides alternative approaches to the commonly used class ID switching pattern.

Problem:

The classical C serialization pattern involves switching over class IDs to deserialize objects. However, this approach is often considered an antipattern due to its potential for error-proneness and maintenance complexity.

Solution 1: Boost Serialization

Boost Serialization is a third-party library that simplifies serialization by automating the grunt work. It provides efficient and reliable methods for serializing and deserializing objects.

Solution 2: Factory Pattern with Registrable Classes

An alternative to class ID switching is to use a factory pattern with registrable classes. Here's a basic implementation in C :

<code class="cpp">template<typename K, typename T>
class Factory {
private:
    typedef T* (*CreateObjectFunc)();
    std::map<K, CreateObjectFunc> mObjectCreator;
public:
    template<typename S>
    void registerClass(K id) {
        mObjectCreator.insert(std::make_pair<K, CreateObjectFunc>(id, &createObject<S>));
    }
    bool hasClass(K id) {
        return mObjectCreator.find(id) != mObjectCreator.end();
    }
    T* createObject(K id) {
        typename std::map<K, CreateObjectFunc>::iterator iter = mObjectCreator.find(id);
        if (iter == mObjectCreator.end()) {
            return NULL;
        }
        return ((*iter).second)();
    }
};</code>

This approach allows for registering classes and creating objects dynamically, avoiding the need for manual class ID switching.

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