Using Protobuf-Net In Xamarin.iOS without full AOT

Is there any alternative to achieving serialising and deserialising of objects in Xamarin.iOS (Monotouch) using protobuf-net other than this method:

http://www.frictionpointstudios.com/blog/2011/3/31/using-protobuf-net-serialization-in-unity-iphone.html

Reading around some people claim they have managed it (without giving evidence), but my understanding is that [iOS JIT==NO] so does not quite make sense.

If the only possible solution is to fully AOT all relevant classes what might a suitable pre/post-build event command line be to perform this AOT for any relevant assemblies automatically?

Solution

I've heard a good number of people have success via that route, but I too can't give documented evidence.

That method is a bit out of date - I've simplified a few steps; there is a standalone pre-compile tool that should work:

create a project/assembly for the DTOs that you want to serialize that references the appropriate version of protobuf-net; presumably CoreOnly/ios, ideally with that dll set to copy into the output directory (it just makes life easier)
run
```
precompile "SomePath/YourDto.dll" -t:MySerializer -o:MySerializer.dll
```
(maybe with a mono before that to get mono to host the exe)

this should resolve the framework and compile a MySerializer.dll that you can reference, which involves zero JIT (MySerializer.dll will reference your dto dll and the version of protobuf-net that your dto dll referenced)
now reference your dto dll, the serializer dll, and the protobuf-net dll, and it should all work just by using new MySerializer().Serialize(...)
when you compile your solution, the projects should all AOT nicely

I'll be happy to offer guidance, but currently I am mac-less, so I can't check right now. If you get any problems let me know. If it can't resolve the framework, you can add -f:{path to the framework assemblies} to give it a clue.