Configuring akka serialization in Play 2.0 framework

[tovbinm]

Hi guys,

I'd like to configure protobuf to be the default serialization for my messages.
Here what I do in attempt to make it happen:

import akka.actor._
import akka.pattern.ask
import akka.serialization._
import akka.util._
import play.api._
import play.libs.Akka
import akka.util.Timeout

object Engine {
implicit val timeout = Timeout(1 second)
val ngin = Akka.system.actorOf(Props[Engine])
}

class Engine extends Actor {
val ser = SerializationExtension(context.system)
override def preStart() = {
println("Got %s serializer for %s"
.format(ser.findSerializerFor(classOf[java.lang.String]).getClass().getName(),
classOf[java.lang.String].getName()))
}
def receive = { ... }
}

While my application.conf file contains the following section:

play { akka { actor {
serializers { proto = "akka.serialization.ProtobufSerializer" }
serialization-bindings { "java.io.Serializable" = proto
"java.lang.String" = proto }
} } }

Though I always get JavaSerializer: "Got
akka.serialization.JavaSerializer serializer for java.lang.String"
What am I doing wrong?!

-Matthew

[havocp]

"java.io.Serializable" = proto doesn't look right, it should be =${proto} with the ${} maybe?

You might try setting some other random thing in the config file (just make up a setting) that doesn't involve the SerializationExtension stuff, and be sure play.akka is even used. For example set play.akka.hello="Hi", then print context.system.settings.config.getString("akka.hello")

[tovbinm]

Thanks!! This was indeed simple ;)

Removing play {...} solves the issue, as follows:

akka { actor {
serializers { proto = "akka.serialization.ProtobufSerializer" }
serialization-bindings { "java.io.Serializable" = proto
"java.lang.String" = proto }
} }

This document should be updated : http://www.playframework.org/documentation/2.0/AkkaCore

[havocp]

This is kind of weird, I would expect that the play{} should be there. hard to debug without a full test case though.
I'm going to close the issue here because I don't think there's an action to take in the config lib code/docs (?) but it might be worth asking the Play guys what is going on, though sending them a small test app might be needed. Thanks