From: ale@...
Date: 2001-12-04T16:41:08+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:27416] Re: marshalling (incompatible marshal file format)



On Tue, 4 Dec 2001, Michael Neumann wrote:

> Dave Thomas wrote:
> > Paul Brannan <paul@atdesk.com> writes:
> > 
> > > I need to read some data from a Ruby script running on a remote host.
> > > It was awfully convenient for me to simply marshal the data across the
> > > wire, rather than writing routines to read/write the data myself.
> > > 
> > > However, I ran into a problem when trying to read data from a host
> > > running Ruby 1.6.5 to a host running 1.6.4.  Is there any way to either:
> > >   a) force the server to use a marshal format that the client
> > >      understands, or
> > >   b) teach the client how to read the newer marshal format, even though
> > >      it is an older version of the interpreter?
> > > 
> > > In this particular case, I can simply install 1.6.5 on the client, but
> > > that may not be an option in the future.
> > 
> > You could use xmarshal and transfer the stuff across in XML. I _think_
> > that'll be version independent, although I've never tried it.
> > 
> >    http://www.goto.info.waseda.ac.jp/~fukusima/ruby/xmarshal.html
> 
> Alternatively use SOAP or XML-RPC to marshal your objects. Then you're
> not only platform and version independent but also completely language independent.

One day I worked out the option a). You can see the (buggy) result at 

  http://blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/19602

Be sure to read Guy's reply and act accordingly.

Nevertheless, option b) sounds quite interesting :). Dunno how to tackle
it, but very interesting anyway.

     - Aleksi