I have been having some issues trying to get this relatively simple binary memory based serialization to work. If I use a byte type below, I get errors with not finding a matching ctor: If I use a char, it compiles and thows an exception in binary_iarchive_impl.hpp at line 52: this->basic_binary_iarchive<Archive>::init(); which appears to be related to char string processing. can anyone help me sort this out? thanks Rich ====================== #include <boost/archive/binary_oarchive.hpp> #include <boost/archive/binary_iarchive.hpp> #include <boost/iostreams/device/array.hpp> #include <boost/iostreams/stream_buffer.hpp> #include <boost/iostreams/stream.hpp> .... std::vector<byte> store(1000, 0x00) ; // std::vector<char> store(1000, 0x00) ; // other test boost::iostreams::stream <boost::iostreams::array > theStream(&store[0], &store[0]+store.size()) ; // save data to archive { boost::archive::binary_oarchive oa(theStream); oa & theInfo; // archive closed when destructors are called } c:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_34_1\boost\iostreams\stream.hpp(112) : error C2665: 'boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::__ctor' : none of the 5 overloads can convert parameter 1 from type 'unsigned char *__w64 const ' with [ Ch=char ] and [ Ch=char ] c:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_34_1\boost\iostreams\device\array.hpp(90): could be 'boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::basic_array(boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *,boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *)' with [ Ch=char ] c:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_34_1\boost\iostreams\device\array.hpp(90): or 'boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::basic_array(boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *,size_t)' with [ Ch=char ] c:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_34_1\boost\iostreams\device\array.hpp(90): or 'boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::basic_array(const boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *,const boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *)' with [ Ch=char ] c:\Program Files\boost\boost_1_34_1\boost\iostreams\device\array.hpp(90): or 'boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::basic_array(const boost::iostreams::basic_array<Ch>::char_type *,size_t)' with [ Ch=char ] while trying to match the argument list '(unsigned char *__w64 const , unsigned char *__w64 const )' c:\Dev\Shared-ADL Integration\UnitTest\BoostSerialization\BoostSerialization\Serialize.h(194) : see reference to function template instantiation 'boost::iostreams::stream<Device>::stream<std::allocator<_Ty>::value_type*__w64 ,std::allocator<_Ty>::value_type*__w64 >(const U0 & ,const U1 & )' being compiled with [ Device=boost::iostreams::array, _Ty=unsigned char, U0=std::allocator<unsigned char>::value_type *__w64 , U1=std::allocator<unsigned char>::value_type *__w64 ] thanks Rich Matthias Troyer wrote: You can use the Boost IOstreams library to create an iostream using a memory buffer and use that with the binary archives Matthias