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Serializing a function value
f#

Hi! Is there any chance that I could serialize a function value? Like:

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open System.IO
open System.Runtime.Serialization
open System.Xml
open System.Xml.Serialization

let i = ref 0
let s = ref "hello world"
let op () =
  i := !i + 1
  s := !s + "!"

let serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof[Unit -> Unit])
let file = System.IO.File.Create("op.txt")
serializer.Serialize(file, op)
file.Close()
.

I had some success using a SoapFormatter for this: SoapFormatter

However, this basically stores a reference to the function in the XML file, not the function itself. So deserializing and using the function will only work with an unchanged binary.

AFAIK very few languages allow to really serialize and transfer functions including their code (Oz is one of them)...

By on 2/16/2011 3:34 PM ()

The scenario is fine by me. I have to save the current state of a long computation performed with a simil-state monad; the code will not change, but the captured variables I have no way of knowing and serializing by hand!

By on 2/18/2011 1:05 AM ()

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