I just started using the serialization library and it is very useful. However the minimal documentation for xml archives in the "List of Examples" could be clearer. Right now it says... demo_xml.cpp This is a variation the original demo which supports xml archives in addition to the others. The extra wrapping macros are needed to associate a data item name with the correspoding xml tag. For more information see Name-Value Pairs. Here is what an xml archive looks like. It would help if the "extra wrapping macros" are named. Yes you can figure it out from demo_xml.cpp (well there's only BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP in there) and from the "Name-Value Pairs" page, but that is too much jumping around for a first read. But what would help more is a warning that BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP must wrap a valid xml tag. For example I naively thought: void editor::save() { ... ar << BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(*this); } would work, but of course it doesnt because "*this" is not a valid xml tag. I searched the list archives, and I'm not the only one who fell into this trap. I suggest adding something like this ... The extra wrapping macro, BOOST_SERIALIZATION_NVP(name), is needed to associate a data item name with the corresponding xml tag. It is importanted that 'name' be a valid xml tag, else it will be impossible to restore the archive. For more information... The warning should be repeated in wrappers.html#nvp, and in the comments in demo_xml.cpp. --- Peter Whaite