minor tweaks to FlattenableUtils

    }

    template<int N>

    static size_t align(void*& buffer) {

    static size_t align(void const*& buffer) {

        COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT_FUNCTION_SCOPE( !(N & (N-1)) );

        intptr_t b = intptr_t(buffer);

        buffer = (void*)((intptr_t(buffer) + (N-1)) & ~(N-1));

        return size_t(intptr_t(buffer) - b);

    }

    template<int N>

    static size_t align(void*& buffer) {

        return align<N>( const_cast<void const*&>(buffer) );

    }

    static void advance(void*& buffer, size_t& size, size_t offset) {

        buffer = reinterpret_cast<void*>( intptr_t(buffer) + offset );

        size -= offset;

    // file descriptors are written in the fds[] array but ownership is

    // not transfered (ie: they must be dupped by the caller of

    // flatten() if needed).

    inline status_t flatten(void*& buffer, size_t& size,

            int*& fds, size_t& count) const;

    inline status_t flatten(void*& buffer, size_t& size, int*& fds, size_t& count) const;

    // unflattens the object from buffer.

    // size should be equal to the value of getFlattenedSize() when the

    // don't need to be dupped(). ie: the caller of unflatten doesn't

    // keep ownership. If a fd is not retained by unflatten() it must be

    // explicitly closed.

    inline status_t unflatten(void const*& buffer, size_t& size,

            int const*& fds, size_t& count);

    inline status_t unflatten(void const*& buffer, size_t& size, int const*& fds, size_t& count);

};

template<typename T>