func gobDecodeList(b *testing.B, l int) {
	var (
		enc *gob.Encoder
		buf bytes.Buffer
		err error
	)
	s := make([]int, l)
	for i, _ := range s {
		s[i] = rand.Int()
	}

	enc = gob.NewEncoder(&buf)
	err = enc.Encode(s)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err.Error())
	}

	var dest []int
	bs := buf.Bytes()
	b.ResetTimer()
	// decode
	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
		nbuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(bs)
		dec := gob.NewDecoder(nbuffer)
		err := dec.Decode(&dest)
		if err != nil {
			panic(err.Error())
		}
	}
}

func SendPeer(encod *gob.Encoder) {
	err := encod.Encode(*MyPublicPeer)

	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal("Error sending Public Peer: ", err)
	}
}

func sendMakeDirectory(encoder *gob.Encoder, directory image.Directory) error {
	imageUpdate := imageserver.ImageUpdate{
		Directory: &directory,
		Operation: imageserver.OperationMakeDirectory,
	}
	return encoder.Encode(imageUpdate)
}

func netSender(netOutStream <-chan HashedInterval, encoder *gob.Encoder, netOutDoneStream chan<- bool) {
	for r := range netOutStream {
		if verboseServer {
			log.Debug("Server.netSender: sending", r.FileInterval)
		}
		err := encoder.Encode(r)
		if err != nil {
			log.Fatal("Protocol encoder error:", err)
			netOutDoneStream <- false
			return
		}
	}

	rEOF := HashedInterval{FileInterval{SparseIgnore, Interval{}}, make([]byte, 0)}
	if rEOF.Len() != 0 {
		log.Fatal("Server.netSender internal error")
	}
	// err := encoder.Encode(HashedInterval{FileInterval{}, make([]byte, 0)})
	err := encoder.Encode(rEOF)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal("Protocol encoder error:", err)
		netOutDoneStream <- false
		return
	}
	if verboseServer {
		log.Debug("Server.netSender: finished sending hashes")
	}
	netOutDoneStream <- true
}

func CreateGobsFile(targetFilePath string, recs *[]interface{}, getRecPtr GobRecPtrMaker, gzipped bool) {
	var file, err = os.Create(targetFilePath)
	var gobber *gob.Encoder
	var gzipper *gzip.Writer
	if file != nil {
		defer file.Close()
	}
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	if gzipped {
		if gzipper, err = gzip.NewWriterLevel(file, gzip.BestCompression); gzipper != nil {
			defer gzipper.Close()
			gobber = gob.NewEncoder(gzipper)
		}
		if err != nil {
			panic(err)
		}
	} else {
		gobber = gob.NewEncoder(file)
	}
	for _, rec := range *recs {
		if err = gobber.Encode(coreutil.PtrVal(getRecPtr(rec))); err != nil {
			panic(err)
		}
	}
}

func (conn *LocalConnection) exchangeHandshake(localConnID uint64, usingPassword bool, enc *gob.Encoder, dec *gob.Decoder) (*FieldValidator, *[32]byte, error) {
	handshakeSend := map[string]string{
		"PeerNameFlavour": PeerNameFlavour,
		"Name":            conn.local.Name.String(),
		"NickName":        conn.local.NickName,
		"UID":             fmt.Sprint(conn.local.UID),
		"ConnID":          fmt.Sprint(localConnID)}
	handshakeRecv := map[string]string{}
	var public, private *[32]byte
	var err error
	if usingPassword {
		public, private, err = GenerateKeyPair()
		if err != nil {
			return nil, nil, err
		}
		handshakeSend["PublicKey"] = hex.EncodeToString(public[:])
	}
	enc.Encode(handshakeSend)
	if err = dec.Decode(&handshakeRecv); err != nil {
		return nil, nil, err
	}
	fv := NewFieldValidator(handshakeRecv)
	fv.CheckEqual("PeerNameFlavour", PeerNameFlavour)
	return fv, private, nil
}

func gobDecodeMap(b *testing.B, l int, kl int) {
	var (
		enc *gob.Encoder
		buf bytes.Buffer
		err error
	)
	s := make(map[string]int)
	for i := 0; i < l; i++ {
		key := keygen(i, kl)
		s[key] = rand.Int()
	}

	enc = gob.NewEncoder(&buf)
	err = enc.Encode(s)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err.Error())
	}

	var dest map[string]int

	bs := buf.Bytes()
	b.ResetTimer()
	// decode
	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
		nbuffer := bytes.NewBuffer(bs)
		dec := gob.NewDecoder(nbuffer)
		err := dec.Decode(&dest)
		if err != nil {
			panic(err.Error())
		}
	}
}

func readinput(c net.Conn, enc *gob.Encoder) {
	var buf [1]byte
	for {
		n, err := os.Stdin.Read(buf[:])
		if err != nil {
			log.Print("Failed to read stdin.")
			return
		}
		if n != 1 {
			// short read? why?
			continue
		}

		if buf[0] == 0x01 { // ctrl-a
			ctrla := escape(c, enc)
			if !ctrla {
				continue
			}
		}

		if readwrite {
			req := &connReq{Cmd: Write, Input: buf[:]}
			err = enc.Encode(req)
			if err != nil {
				log.Print("Failed to write on connection.")
				// just keep trying
			}
		}
	}
}

func (cbv *CachedBackendVersion) encodeCacheToGob(enc *gob.Encoder) error {
	cbv.mu.Lock()
	defer cbv.mu.Unlock()

	if err := enc.Encode(cbv.cache); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to encode cache map: %v", err)
	}
	return nil
}

func (m *gobMarshallingProvider) safeEncode(enc *gob.Encoder, val interface{}) (err error) {
	defer func() {
		if r := recover(); r != nil {
			err = fmt.Errorf("Panic encoding: %v", r)
		}
	}()
	err = enc.Encode(val)
	return
}

func (console *Console) Save(encoder *gob.Encoder) error {
	encoder.Encode(console.RAM)
	console.CPU.Save(encoder)
	console.APU.Save(encoder)
	console.PPU.Save(encoder)
	console.Cartridge.Save(encoder)
	console.Mapper.Save(encoder)
	return encoder.Encode(true)
}

func writeTo(buffers [][]*rfc5424.Message, enc *gob.Encoder) error {
	for _, buf := range buffers {
		for _, msg := range buf {
			if err := enc.Encode(msg); err != nil {
				return err
			}
		}
	}
	return nil
}

func clientEncode(encode *gob.Encoder, buf *bufio.Writer, send <-chan *packet.Packet) {
	for msg := range send {
		if err := encode.Encode(msg); err != nil {
			log.Printf("Error encoding packet: %s", err)
		}
		if err := buf.Flush(); err != nil {
			log.Printf("Error writing buffer: %s", err)
		}
	}
}

func (dn *DirNode) EncodeToGob(enc *gob.Encoder) error {
	if err := serializeCommon(enc, dn.GetType(), dn.INodeCommon); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	if err := enc.Encode(dn.Entries); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to encode Entries: %v", err)
	}

	return nil
}

// serializeStructInternalEncode takes struct field metadata and encodes the value using gob.
func serializeStructInternalEncode(enc *gob.Encoder, smd *structMetaData, fieldName, metaData string, encodeValue bool, v reflect.Value) error {
	smd.metaDatas = append(smd.metaDatas, metaData)
	smd.totalLength += len(metaData)

	if encodeValue {
		if err := enc.EncodeValue(v); err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("goon: Failed to encode field %v value %v - %v", fieldName, v.Interface(), err)
		}
	}
	return nil
}

func (m *Mapper1) Save(encoder *gob.Encoder) error {
	encoder.Encode(m.shiftRegister)
	encoder.Encode(m.control)
	encoder.Encode(m.prgMode)
	encoder.Encode(m.chrMode)
	encoder.Encode(m.prgBank)
	encoder.Encode(m.chrBank0)
	encoder.Encode(m.chrBank1)
	encoder.Encode(m.prgOffsets)
	encoder.Encode(m.chrOffsets)
	return nil
}

func negotiateVersion(e *gob.Encoder, d *gob.Decoder) {
	var c Command
	c.Command = CmdVersion
	c.Params = []string{protocolVersion}
	err := e.Encode(c)
	panicOn(err)
	err = d.Decode(&c)
	if c.Params[0] != protocolVersion {
		panic(fmt.Errorf("Mismatched protocol version %s != %s", c.Params[0], protocolVersion))
	}
	panicOn(err)
}

// interfaceEncode encodes the interface value into the encoder.
func interfaceEncode(enc *gob.Encoder, p Pythagoras) {
	// The encode will fail unless the concrete type has been
	// registered. We registered it in the calling function.

	// Pass pointer to interface so Encode sees (and hence sends) a value of
	// interface type. If we passed p directly it would see the concrete type instead.
	// See the blog post, "The Laws of Reflection" for background.
	err := enc.Encode(&p)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal("encode:", err)
	}
}

func gobEncode(data interface{}) {
	var (
		enc *gob.Encoder
		buf bytes.Buffer
		err error
	)
	enc = gob.NewEncoder(&buf)
	err = enc.Encode(data)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err.Error())
	}
}

func (p *IndexDb) SaveConfig(path string, config *IndexDbConfig) error {
	var buf bytes.Buffer
	var enc *gob.Encoder = gob.NewEncoder(&buf)

	var encodeErr error = enc.Encode(config)
	if encodeErr != nil {
		log.Fatal("encode error:", encodeErr)
	}
	file, err := os.Create(path)
	file.Write(buf.Bytes())
	file.Close()
	return err
}