It seems to be a bit confused:

o The doc for decode_value says it uses the master itself as codec if none is given.

o The doc for encode_value says nothing but hints that a codec object must be given explicitly: "To encode objects, programs and functions, a codec object must be provided."

o Both encode_value and decode_value uses the master itself as fallback.

o The master doesn't implement the functions to act as a codec (the Codec class in the master does).

I'd like to solve this by removing the fallback to the master, thereby requiring a codec to be given explicitly. One reason is that it would avoid the often unnecessary overhead of instantiating a Codec object. Another is that more explicit control over the codec almost always is required to handle objects, functions and programs in a good way.

/ Martin Stjernholm, Roxen IS

Previous text:

2003-01-06 09:30: Subject: encode_value for objects

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Hmm. Isn't it enough to provide an _encode and _decode method to allow objects to be en/decoded? I get this:

Cannot encode objects without an "encode_object" function in the codec. pgallery.pike:24: pgallery()->main(1,({"/home/neotron/src/pgallery/pgallery.pike"}))

The documentation states that the Codec in the master will be used if none is provided - well, it has:

mixed encode_object(object x) { if(x->_encode) return x->_encode(); error("Cannot encode objects yet.\n"); }

Am I missing something? Hmm. Ok, so it DOESN'T use the default codec in the master it seems. It works with:

encode_value(o, master()->Codec());

Documentation error, bug or something that is new in Pike 7.5?

/ David Hedbor