Serializing in Visual C++

[noraantonia]

hello

i am building an application in Visual c++ 6 and i want to save some variable values. i tried in all ways, until i try just to save a value that i declared right in the "Serialize" function of my CDocument class :

void CDiplomaDoc::Serialize(CArchive& ar)
{
        r=3;
	if (ar.IsStoring())
	{
		// TODO: add storing code here
        ar << r;
	}
	else
	{
		// TODO: add loading code here

	}
}

I specified to save my work in a .nor file extension. so, when i run the application, i press the save as button from the menu in my sdi application (document-view) and i save my work. but when i open the file on my computer where i tried to save this variable - i open it with notepad - and i have there : 0 . when i made r=54 for example i had 6 in the file! why/ do you know what i can do ? what do i do wrong ?:(

PS : my application is a drawing one, draws using opengl a cube, or a cone, etc. selected from the menu. but i just run the app. and i hit save as, and this is what happens(i do this to test the serialize function only)
thanks in advance.

[Ancient Dragon]

That saves it as binary data, so you can not view it with Notepad. If you want it saved as text then convert with CString

CString s;
s.Format("%d", r);
ar << s;

[noraantonia]

Thank you very much. I want to ask if i can serialize like this for example an entire drawing?
Like a rotating cube. I do my drawing in the Document class, in a method RenderScene using opengl. i don't store my cube in anything, so i was wondering how can i serialize an entire drawing. can it be done? i've only read about serializing variables, like in a database application, but not a rotating cube for example.

[Ancient Dragon]

You can if you save all the points of the drawing. The Microsoft tutorial named Scribble does exactly that.

Also you might be able to save the drawing as a bitmap then save the bitmap. Another bitmap tutorial.