Enumerations
enum	Type : uint8_t { kUnknownType = 0 , kBytesType = 1 , kDynamicType = 2 , kCustomType = 3 , kCdrType = 4 , kProtoType = 5 , kProtoPtrType = 6 , kFlatTableType = 7 , kFlatPtrType = 8 , kFlatBuilderType = 9 , kStringType = 10 , kCharsType = 11 , kStreamType = 12 , kStandardType = 13 , kStandardPtrType = 14 }
	Identifies the serialisation codec to use for a given C++ type. More...

Functions
constexpr bool	is_supported (Type type) noexcept
	Returns `true` when `type` identifies a supported serializer.
template<typename T>
constexpr Type	get_type_of () noexcept
	Deduces the `Type` enumerator for `T` at compile time.
template<Type TypeT, typename T>
std::string	get_serialized_type () noexcept
	Returns the serialisation type name string for `T` with explicit `TypeT`.
template<typename T>
std::string	get_serialized_type () noexcept
	Returns the serialisation type name string for `T` (type auto-detected).
template<Type TypeT, typename T>
size_t	get_serialized_size (const T &src) noexcept
	Returns the exact serialised byte size for a given `src` value.
template<typename T>
size_t	get_serialized_size (const T &src) noexcept
	Returns the serialized byte size (type auto-detected).
template<Type TypeT, typename T>
bool	serialize (const T &src, Bytes &des, TransportType transport, uint8_t offset)
	Serializes `src` into `des` with explicit type and transport hints.
template<typename T>
bool	serialize (const T &src, Bytes &des)
	Serializes `src` into `des` (type and transport auto-detected).
template<Type TypeT, typename T>
bool	deserialize (const Bytes &src, T &des, TransportType transport)
	Deserializes `src` bytes into `des` with explicit type and transport hints.
template<typename T>
bool	deserialize (const Bytes &src, T &des)
	Deserializes `src` bytes into `des` (type and transport auto-detected).
template<typename SrcT, typename DesT>
bool	convert (const SrcT &src, DesT &des)
	Converts between two types where at least one is `Bytes`.
template<typename T>
constexpr auto &	deref (const T &t) noexcept
	Dereferences a value, unwrapping `shared_ptr` if necessary.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_bytes_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is exactly `Bytes`.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_dynamic_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a VLink dynamic data type.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_cdr_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a FastDDS CDR-serialisable type.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_proto_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a Protobuf message value type.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_proto_ptr_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a raw pointer to a Protobuf message.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_flat_table_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a FlatBuffers NativeTable type.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_flat_builder_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a FlatBuffers builder type.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_flat_ptr_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a raw pointer to a `flatbuffers::Table`.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_custom_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` provides custom `operator>>` / `operator<<`.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_string_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is `std::string`.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_chars_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is constructible from `std::string` (but is not `std::string`).
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_stream_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` supports both `operator<<` and `operator>>` with `std::stringstream`.
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_standard_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a trivial standard-layout value type (POD).
template<typename T>
constexpr bool	is_standard_ptr_type () noexcept
	Returns `true` if `T` is a pointer to a trivial standard-layout type.

Enumeration Type Documentation

◆ Type

enum vlink::Serializer::Type : uint8_t

Identifies the serialisation codec to use for a given C++ type.

Resolved at compile time by get_type_of<T>(). The value is stored in the Publisher / Subscriber etc. as a constexpr member so that all codec dispatch is zero-cost at runtime.

Enumerator
kUnknownType	Unsupported type – `is_supported()` returns `false`.
kBytesType	`Bytes` – raw byte pass-through.
kDynamicType	Dynamic typed data via `is_vlink_dynamic_data()`.
kCustomType	User-defined via `operator>>(Bytes&)` / `operator<<(const Bytes&)`.
kCdrType	FastDDS CDR via `serialize(Cdr&)` / `deserialize(Cdr&)`.
kProtoType	Protobuf value (`MessageLite` derived).
kProtoPtrType	Protobuf raw pointer (Arena-managed).
kFlatTableType	FlatBuffers NativeTable (object API).
kFlatPtrType	Pointer to `flatbuffers::Table` (zero-copy read).
kFlatBuilderType	FlatBuffers builder (`fbb_` + `Finish()`).
kStringType	`std::string` – UTF-8 text.
kCharsType	`char*` / string literal.
kStreamType	Stream-serialisable via `operator<<(std::stringstream)`.
kStandardType	Trivial standard-layout struct (POD value).
kStandardPtrType	Pointer to trivial standard-layout struct (POD pointer).

Function Documentation

◆ convert()

template<typename SrcT, typename DesT>

bool vlink::Serializer::convert	(	const SrcT &	src,
		DesT &	des )

inline

Converts between two types where at least one is Bytes.

A compile-time static_assert enforces that SrcT or DesT (or both) is Bytes. The three cases are:

Both Bytes: shallow-copies src to des.
DesT == Bytes: calls serialize(src, des).
SrcT == Bytes: calls deserialize(src, des).

Template Parameters

SrcT	Source type.
DesT	Destination type.

Parameters

src	Source value.
des	Destination value.

Returns: true on success.

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◆ deref()

template<typename T>

auto & vlink::Serializer::deref ( const T & t )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Dereferences a value, unwrapping shared_ptr if necessary.

If T is a shared_ptr, returns *t; otherwise returns t. Used internally so serialisation code handles both value and shared-ptr message types uniformly.

Template Parameters

T	The input type (value or `shared_ptr`).

Parameters

t	Input value.

Returns: Reference to the underlying value.

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◆ deserialize() [1/2]

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::deserialize	(	const Bytes &	src,
		T &	des )

inline

Deserializes src bytes into des (type and transport auto-detected).

Template Parameters

T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source `Bytes` buffer.
des	Destination value.

Returns: true on success.

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◆ deserialize() [2/2]

template<Type TypeT, typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::deserialize	(	const Bytes &	src,
		T &	des,
		TransportType	transport = TransportType::kUnknown )

inline

Deserializes src bytes into des with explicit type and transport hints.

The transport activates transport-specific fast paths (e.g. kDds dereferences a CDR pointer stored in src instead of copying bytes).

Template Parameters

TypeT	Serializer type.
T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source `Bytes` buffer.
des	Destination value to fill.
transport	Active transport backend.

Returns: true on success; false on parse failure.

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◆ get_serialized_size() [1/2]

template<typename T>

size_t vlink::Serializer::get_serialized_size ( const T & src )

inlinenodiscardnoexcept

Returns the serialized byte size (type auto-detected).

Template Parameters

T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source value to measure.

Returns: Byte count; 0 if unknown.

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◆ get_serialized_size() [2/2]

template<Type TypeT, typename T>

size_t vlink::Serializer::get_serialized_size ( const T & src )

inlinenodiscardnoexcept

Returns the exact serialised byte size for a given src value.

Used to pre-allocate loaned buffers before serializing. Returns 0 for types whose serialized size is not known ahead of time (e.g. kBytesType, kStringType, kFlatTableType). For kStandardType returns sizeof(T).

Template Parameters

TypeT	Serializer type.
T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source value to measure.

Returns: Byte count needed to serialise src; 0 if unknown.

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◆ get_serialized_type() [1/2]

template<typename T>

std::string vlink::Serializer::get_serialized_type ( )

inlinenodiscardnoexcept

Returns the serialisation type name string for T (type auto-detected).

Template Parameters

T	C++ message type.

Returns: Type name string; empty if not applicable.

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◆ get_serialized_type() [2/2]

template<Type TypeT, typename T>

std::string vlink::Serializer::get_serialized_type ( )

inlinenodiscardnoexcept

Returns the serialisation type name string for T with explicit TypeT.

Returns a human-readable type identifier used by the framework for type-matching between publisher and subscriber (e.g. DDS topic type name, Protobuf fully-qualified name, FlatBuffers table name). Returns an empty string for types that have no meaningful type name (e.g. kBytesType).

Template Parameters

TypeT	Explicit serializer type.
T	C++ message type.

Returns: Type name string; empty if not applicable.

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◆ get_type_of()

template<typename T>

Type vlink::Serializer::get_type_of ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Deduces the Type enumerator for T at compile time.

Evaluates a compile-time if constexpr chain that tests each codec's trait (e.g. is_proto_type<T>()) and returns the first matching Type. Returns kUnknownType if no codec matches.

The detection order is: Bytes, Dynamic, CDR, Proto, ProtoPtr, FlatTable, FlatPtr, FlatBuilder, Custom, String, Chars, Standard, StandardPtr, Stream.

Template Parameters

T	The C++ message type to classify.

Returns: Type enumerator identifying the codec for T.

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◆ is_bytes_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_bytes_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is exactly Bytes.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for Bytes.

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◆ is_cdr_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_cdr_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a FastDDS CDR-serialisable type.

Requires fastcdr to be present and the type to have both serialize(Cdr&) and deserialize(Cdr&) methods, or its name to contain the VLINK_FASTDDS_IDL_PREFIX prefix.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for CDR types when fastcdr is available.

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◆ is_chars_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_chars_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is constructible from std::string (but is not std::string).

Matches char*, const char*, and string literal types.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for C-string types.

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◆ is_custom_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_custom_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T provides custom operator>> / operator<<.

Checks via Traits::Operatorable whether T supports operator>>(Bytes&) and operator<<(const Bytes&).

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for custom-codec types.

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◆ is_dynamic_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_dynamic_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a VLink dynamic data type.

Dynamic types have an is_vlink_dynamic_data() member.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for dynamic data types.

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◆ is_flat_builder_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_flat_builder_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a FlatBuffers builder type.

Requires flatbuffers and the type to have both a fbb_ member and a Finish() method.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for FlatBuffers builder types.

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◆ is_flat_ptr_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_flat_ptr_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a raw pointer to a flatbuffers::Table.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test (expected to be `MyTable*`).

Returns: true for FlatBuffers Table pointer types.

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◆ is_flat_table_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_flat_table_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a FlatBuffers NativeTable type.

Requires flatbuffers and the type (or its shared_ptr element) to be derived from flatbuffers::NativeTable.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for FlatBuffers NativeTable types.

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◆ is_proto_ptr_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_proto_ptr_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a raw pointer to a Protobuf message.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test (expected to be `MyProto*`).

Returns: true for Protobuf pointer types.

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◆ is_proto_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_proto_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a Protobuf message value type.

Requires protobuf to be present and the type to have both SerializeToArray() and ParseFromArray() methods.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for Protobuf value types.

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◆ is_standard_ptr_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_standard_ptr_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a pointer to a trivial standard-layout type.

Matches T* where std::is_trivial_v<T> && std::is_standard_layout_v<T>. The pointer is reinterpreted (not dereferenced and copied) for zero-copy usage.

Template Parameters

T	Pointer type to test.

Returns: true for POD pointer types.

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◆ is_standard_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_standard_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is a trivial standard-layout value type (POD).

Matches types where std::is_trivial_v and std::is_standard_layout_v are both true and the type is not a pointer. Such types are byte-copied directly into/from a Bytes buffer of exactly sizeof(T) bytes.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for POD value types.

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◆ is_stream_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_stream_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T supports both operator<< and operator>> with std::stringstream.

Detected via Traits::Operatorable<std::stringstream, T>(), which requires both ss << t and ss >> t to be well-formed. Non-pointer types that support bidirectional streaming via std::stringstream (e.g. arithmetic types or types with custom stream operator overloads) match. Note that higher-priority codecs (e.g. Proto, CDR) are checked first in get_type_of(), so this function is only reached for types that do not match any earlier codec.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true for stream-serialisable types.

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◆ is_string_type()

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::is_string_type ( )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true if T is std::string.

Template Parameters

T	Type to test.

Returns: true only for std::string.

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◆ is_supported()

constexpr bool vlink::Serializer::is_supported ( Type type )

inlinenodiscardconstexprnoexcept

Returns true when type identifies a supported serializer.

kUnknownType is the only unsupported value. This function is called by the static_assert in every node constructor to catch unsupported message types at compile time.

Parameters

type	Serializer type enumerator.

Returns: false only for kUnknownType.

◆ serialize() [1/2]

template<typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::serialize	(	const T &	src,
		Bytes &	des )

inline

Serializes src into des (type and transport auto-detected).

Template Parameters

T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source value.
des	Destination `Bytes`.

Returns: true on success.

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◆ serialize() [2/2]

template<Type TypeT, typename T>

bool vlink::Serializer::serialize	(	const T &	src,
		Bytes &	des,
		TransportType	transport = TransportType::kUnknown,
		uint8_t	offset = 0 )

inline

Serializes src into des with explicit type and transport hints.

The transport parameter activates transport-specific fast paths (e.g. CDR pointer passing for kDds). Pass TransportType::kUnknown for the default copy-based path. The offset parameter prepends offset zero bytes before the payload (used internally for some transports).

Template Parameters

TypeT	Serializer type.
T	C++ message type.

Parameters

src	Source value to serialise.
des	Destination `Bytes` buffer (may be pre-allocated or loaned).
transport	Active transport backend for fast-path selection.
offset	Number of header bytes to prepend (default `0`).

Returns: true on success; false on serialisation failure.

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Enumerations

Functions

Enumeration Type Documentation

◆ Type

Function Documentation

◆ convert()

◆ deref()

◆ deserialize() [1/2]

◆ deserialize() [2/2]

◆ get_serialized_size() [1/2]

◆ get_serialized_size() [2/2]

◆ get_serialized_type() [1/2]

◆ get_serialized_type() [2/2]

◆ get_type_of()

◆ is_bytes_type()

◆ is_cdr_type()

◆ is_chars_type()

◆ is_custom_type()

◆ is_dynamic_type()

◆ is_flat_builder_type()

◆ is_flat_ptr_type()

◆ is_flat_table_type()

◆ is_proto_ptr_type()

◆ is_proto_type()

◆ is_standard_ptr_type()

◆ is_standard_type()

◆ is_stream_type()

◆ is_string_type()

◆ is_supported()

◆ serialize() [1/2]

◆ serialize() [2/2]