Message buffer in C++

Given an input file containing message declaration, this simple tool generate the code that allows to easily serialize/unserialize data.

msgbuf tries to implement some features (in fact a very limited subset) supported by tools like google protobuf or ASN.1

Characteristics:

• Simple language definition
• Output a single standard .h file, without requiring you to link with other libs
• Very simple to use
• Uses inheritance (all Messages inherit from a base class)
• Space efficient serialization
• Simple versionning
• Automatically and transparently handle big/little endian conversion
• Portable

msgbuf doesn't support (at least) the following features:

• Strong versionning
• Optional fields

NOTE: If you have more advanced needs, you might want to look at better (but more complex) alternatives such as google protobuf or ASN.1

Compilation:

$ ./build_gcc.sh    # build on linux/cygwin (static)

or $ ./build_mingw.sh # cross-compile windows exe from linux (static)

Usage:

(assuming your message definition is in test.mb)

$ msgbuf test.mb test.h

TODO

• Enums
• Support message-in-message (?)
• Support variable size array (?)
• Create testsuite/samples
• Better console output about what's happening
• Provide build script
• Test on other platform (at least gcc, mingw and visual studio)