(CHAR *)(STRUCT)

[dsr at stl.stc.co.uk]

I want to make up a macro which would take a pointer to anything and
convert it into CHAR so that I could send the resulting string over a
pipe.  The macro is intended to provide a generic call to a READ/WRITE
type of routine.  However when I try it on Structures the compiler
says that this is not allowed.  Given that you can malloc space for a
structure which is correctly formatted, why can't you cast a
structure?

Is there any way around this?  Has anyone got a couple of routines to
send any type data over a pipe from a generic call?