To explain briefly: Using <fstream>, I write a std::list instance to a .txt file:
#include <fstream>
#include <list>
std::list<Item> list_1; //example list
list_1.push_back(Item(...));
std::ofstream file;
file.open("record.txt", std::ios::trunc);
if (file.is_open()) {
file.write((char*)&list_1, sizeof(std::list<Item>)) << std::endl;
file.close();
}
However, when I read from the same file and assign the data to a std::list instance:
file.open("record.txt", std::ios::in);
if (file.is_open()) {
std::list<Item> list_1;
file.read((char*)&list_1, sizeof(std::list<Item>));
}
It gives me an error when I try to access its elements. This is, however, not my problem. Because std::list stores the pointer to that element, I must store the elements manually, like I did here:
for (auto const& item : list_1) {
file << item.amount << std::endl;
file << item.value << std::endl;
file << item.item_name << std::endl;
file << (char*)&item.type << std::endl;
}
Then I read these values. Use the values to create a new Item instance and store it inside my list. Side note: I can access the size() property of the list_1 from the .txt file because it is a member of std::list<Item> which lives on the stack. So it gets saved by the ofstream.
for (int i = 0; i < list_1.size(); i++) {
int amount = 0;
int value = 0;
std::string item_name;
Item_Type type = item;
file >> amount;
file >> value;
file >> item_name;
file >> (char*)&type;
Item item(amount, value, item_name, type);
main_player_inv.push_back(item);
I expect this to work, because now the std::list should have no uninitialized members, right?
Well, it gives me this error:
this->_Mypair._Myval2._Myhead was 0x228B4050240
This basically means list_1->_Mypair._Myval2._Myhead is a pointer which points to memory out of bounds. The problem is, unlike the element pointers which I can manually save the values of and initialize, I can't access the data of list_1->_Mypair._Myval2._Myhead or edit it manually, as it is a private member. Or, there isn't a way I could find online.
So, I have two questions:
Can I initialize list_1->_Mypair._Myval2._Myhead so that it points to a valid memory?
Is there a way to more easily serialize a std::list and retrieve it's content?
If both of these questions are unanswerable, I would like to talk about what I'm trying to do:
The std::list<Item> is used as a character or an object's inventory. In my project, I want to store the items the player and objects such as containers have in a std::list<Item> instance. I thought this was the most fitting thing to do for an object-oriented Player structure. Here are some classes, for example:
Player class
class Player : public Object {
public:
int level, experience;
double health;
float resistance; // 0.000 - 1.000
std::list<Item> inventory;
public:
Player() :
level(0), experience(0), health(10.0), resistance(0.0f) {};
Player(int x, int y, std::string obj_name, Obj_Type type, int level, int experience, double health, float resistence) :
Object(x, y, obj_name, type), level(level), experience(experience), health(health), resistance(resistence) {};
};
Item class
struct Item {
public:
unsigned int amount, value;
std::string item_name;
Item_Type type; // enum
public:
Item() :
amount(0), value(0), item_name("undefined"), type(item) {};
Item(int amount, int value, std::string item_name, Item_Type type) :
amount(amount), value(value), item_name(item_name), type(type) {};
};
If you know a better way to store player items, items being class instances; or know altogether a better way to do this, please help me.
You can't read/write the raw bytes of a std::list object (or any other non-trivial type), as you would be writing/reading raw pointers and other internal data members that you don't need to concern yourself with.
You must (de)serialize your class's individual data members instead, as you have already discovered.
I would suggest a binary format instead of a textual format, eg:
#include <type_traits>
template <typename T, std::enable_if_t<std::is_scalar<T>::value, bool> = true>
void writeToStream(std::ostream &out, const T &value) {
out.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(&value), sizeof(value));
}
template <typename T, std::enable_if_t<std::is_scalar<T>::value, bool> = true>
void readFromStream(std::istream &in, T &value) {
in.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&value), sizeof(value));
}
void writeToStream(std::ostream &out, const std::string &value) {
size_t size = value.size();
writeToStream(out, size);
out.write(value.c_str(), size);
}
void readFromStream(std::istream &in, std::string &value) {
size_t size;
readFromStream(in, size);
value.resize(size);
in.read(value.data() /* or: &value[0] */, size);
}
template <typename Container>
void writeToStream(std::ostream &out, const Container &items) {
size_t count = items.size();
writeToStream(out, count);
for(const auto& item : items) {
writeToStream(out, item);
}
}
template <typename Container>
void readFromStream(std::istream &in, Container &items) {
size_t count;
readFromStream(in, count);
items.reserve(count);
for(size_t i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
Container::value_type item;
readFromStream(in, item);
items.push_back(item);
}
}
template<typename Container>
void writeToFile(const std::string &fileName, const Container &items) {
std::ofstream file(fileName, std::ios::binary);
file.exceptions(std::ofstream::failbit);
writeToStream(file, items);
}
template<typename Container>
void readFromFile(const std::string &fileName, Container &items) {
std::ifstream file(fileName, std::ios::binary);
file.exceptions(std::ifstream::failbit);
readFromStream(file, items);
}
struct Item {
public:
unsigned int amount, value;
std::string item_name;
Item_Type type; // enum
public:
Item() :
amount(0), value(0), item_name("undefined"), type(item) {};
Item(int amount, int value, std::string item_name, Item_Type type) :
amount(amount), value(value), item_name(item_name), type(type) {};
void writeTo(std::ostream &out) const {
writeToStream(out, amount);
writeToStream(out, value);
writeToStream(out, item_name);
writeToStream(out, type);
}
void readFrom(std::istream &in) {
readFromStream(in, amount);
readFromStream(in, value);
readFromStream(in, item_name);
readFromStream(in, type);
}
};
void writeToStream(std::ostream &out, const Item &item) {
item.writeTo(out);
}
void readFromStream(std::istream &in, Item &item) {
item.readFrom(in);
}
class Player : public Object {
public:
int level, experience;
double health;
float resistance; // 0.000 - 1.000
std::list<Item> inventory;
public:
Player() :
level(0), experience(0), health(10.0), resistance(0.0f) {};
Player(int x, int y, std::string obj_name, Obj_Type type, int level, int experience, double health, float resistence) :
Object(x, y, obj_name, type), level(level), experience(experience), health(health), resistance(resistence) {};
void writeTo(std::ostream &out) const {
writeToStream(out, level);
writeToStream(out, experience);
writeToStream(out, health);
writeToStream(out, resistance);
writeToStream(out, inventory);
}
void readFrom(std::istream &in) {
readFromStream(in, level);
readFromStream(in, experience);
readFromStream(in, health);
readFromStream(in, resistance);
readFromStream(in, inventory);
}
};
void writeToStream(std::ostream &out, const Player &player) {
player.writeTo(out);
}
void readFromStream(std::istream &in, Player &player) {
player.readFrom(in);
}
#include <fstream>
#include <list>
int main() {
std::list<Item> list_1; //example list
list_1.push_back(Item(...));
writeToFile("record.txt", list_1);
list_1.clear();
readFromFile("record.txt", list_1);
return 0;
}
If you really want a textual file, then use operator<< and operator>> instead, overriding them in your classes, eg:
(feel free to tweak this to use whatever formatting you want...)
#include <limits>
void discardLine(std::istream &in) {
in.ignore(std::numeeric_limits<std::streamsize>::max(), '\n');
}
template<typename CharT, typename Traits>
void streamFailed(std::basic_ios<CharT,Traits> &stream) {
stream.setstate(std::ios_base::failbit);
}
template <typename Container>
std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream &out, const Container &items) {
out << '[' << items.size() << '\n';
for(const auto& item : items) {
out << item << '\n';
}
out << ']\n';
return out;
}
template <typename Container>
std::istream& operator>>(std::istream &in, Container &items) {
char ch;
in >> ch;
if (ch != '[') {
streamFailed(in);
} else {
size_t count;
in >> count;
discardLine(in);
items.reserve(count);
for(size_t i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
Container::value_type item;
in >> item;
items.push_back(item);
}
in >> ch;
if (ch != '[') {
streamFailed(in);
}
}
}
template<typename Container>
void writeToFile(const std::string &fileName, const Container &items) {
std::ofstream file(fileName, std::ios::binary);
file.exceptions(std::ofstream::failbit);
file << items;
}
template<typename Container>
void readFromFile(const std::string &fileName, Container &items) {
std::ifstream file(fileName, std::ios::binary);
file.exceptions(std::ifstream::failbit);
file >> items;
}
struct Item {
public:
unsigned int amount, value;
std::string item_name;
Item_Type type; // enum
public:
Item() :
amount(0), value(0), item_name("undefined"), type(item) {};
Item(int amount, int value, std::string item_name, Item_Type type) :
amount(amount), value(value), item_name(item_name), type(type) {};
friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream &out, const Item &item) {
out << '(' << item.amount << ' ' << item.value << ' ' << static_cast<int>(item.type) << ' ' << item.item_name << ')';
return out;
}
friend std::istream& operator>>(std::istream &in, Item &item) {
char ch;
in >> ch;
if (ch != '(') {
streamFailed(in);
} else {
int itype;
in >> item.amount >> item.value >> itype;
item.type = static_cast<Item_Type>(itype);
std::getline(in >> std::ws, item_name, ')');
}
return in;
}
};
class Player : public Object {
public:
int level, experience;
double health;
float resistance; // 0.000 - 1.000
std::list<Item> inventory;
public:
Player() :
level(0), experience(0), health(10.0), resistance(0.0f) {};
Player(int x, int y, std::string obj_name, Obj_Type type, int level, int experience, double health, float resistence) :
Object(x, y, obj_name, type), level(level), experience(experience), health(health), resistance(resistence) {};
friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream &out, const Player &player) {
out << '(' << level << ' ' << experience << ' ' health << ' ' << resistance << '\n';
out << inventory;
out << ')';
return out;
}
friend std::istream& operator>>(std::istream &in, Player &player) {
char ch;
in >> ch;
if (ch != '(') {
streamFailed(in);
} else {
in >> player.level >> player.experience >> player.health >> player.resistance >> player.inventory;
in >> ch;
if (ch != ')') {
streamFailed(in);
}
}
return in;
}
};
#include <fstream>
#include <list>
int main() {
std::list<Item> list_1; //example list
list_1.push_back(Item(...));
writeToFile("record.txt", list_1);
list_1.clear();
readFromFile("record.txt", list_1);
return 0;
}