Add a generic approach for (de)serialization of objects using code in other classes

This adds the (internal) Wrapper class, and the Using function that uses it. Given
a class F that implements Ser(stream, const object&) and Unser(stream, object&)
functions, this permits writing e.g. READWRITE(Using<F>(object)).

1 files changed, 26 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index c9e994f844..fd8626007a 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -442,6 +442,32 @@ I ReadVarInt(Stream& is)
     }
 }
 
+/** Simple wrapper class to serialize objects using a formatter; used by Using(). */
+template<typename Formatter, typename T>
+class Wrapper
+{
+    static_assert(std::is_lvalue_reference<T>::value, "Wrapper needs an lvalue reference type T");
+protected:
+    T m_object;
+public:
+    explicit Wrapper(T obj) : m_object(obj) {}
+    template<typename Stream> void Serialize(Stream &s) const { Formatter().Ser(s, m_object); }
+    template<typename Stream> void Unserialize(Stream &s) { Formatter().Unser(s, m_object); }
+};
+
+/** Cause serialization/deserialization of an object to be done using a specified formatter class.
+ *
+ * To use this, you need a class Formatter that has public functions Ser(stream, const object&) for
+ * serialization, and Unser(stream, object&) for deserialization. Serialization routines (inside
+ * READWRITE, or directly with << and >> operators), can then use Using<Formatter>(object).
+ *
+ * This works by constructing a Wrapper<Formatter, T>-wrapped version of object, where T is
+ * const during serialization, and non-const during deserialization, which maintains const
+ * correctness.
+ */
+template<typename Formatter, typename T>
+static inline Wrapper<Formatter, T&> Using(T&& t) { return Wrapper<Formatter, T&>(t); }
+
 #define VARINT(obj, ...) WrapVarInt<__VA_ARGS__>(REF(obj))
 #define COMPACTSIZE(obj) CCompactSize(REF(obj))
 #define LIMITED_STRING(obj,n) LimitedString< n >(REF(obj))