Question

I am adding the ability to save as XML to several native C++ classes. I am looking for something in C++ that performs the same job as XmlConvert from .Net.

double d = 45.5454545;
xmlWriter.WriteAttributeAtring(XmlConvert.ToString(d));

Answer 1

Consider using boost XML serilization.

#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
#include <boost/archive/xml_iarchive.hpp>
#include <boost/archive/xml_oarchive.hpp>

using namespace std;

class Test {
private:    
    friend class boost::serialization::access;
    template<class Archive> void serialize(Archive & ar,
            const unsigned int version) {
        ar & BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(a);
        ar & BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(b);
        ar & BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(c);
    }

    int a;
    int b;
    float c;
public:
    inline Test(int a, int b, float c) {
        this->a = a;
        this->b = b;
        this->c = c;
    }
};

int main() {
    std::ofstream ofs("filename.xml");

    Test* t = new Test(1, 2, 3.3);

    boost::archive::xml_oarchive oa(ofs);
    oa << BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(t);

    return 0;
}

If using boost is out of question you can simply borrow the idea provided your objects are very simple and don’t have references to each other.

1. Create a XMLDocument
2. Each of your class has a Serialize(XMLDocument*) method
3. In their Serialize method they update XMLDocument with the members.

Unfortunately C++ doesn’t have reflection is it impossible to do serialization easily without handling each class.