          logger.debug("Adding to recent files '%s': (%s, %s)", recent_filename, filename, command)
          if not os.path.exists(recent_filename) or os.path.getsize(recent_filename) == 0:
              recent_files = list()
          else:
              with open(recent_filename, "rb") as inp:
                  recent_files = self.serializer.unmarshal(inp.read().decode("utf-8"))
          logger.debug("Initial recent files: %s", recent_files)
          filenames = [recent[0] for recent in recent_files]
          if filename in filenames:
              idx = filenames.index(filename)
              del recent_files[idx]
 
</s> remove         with open(menu_file, "rb") as inp:
            recent_files = serializer.unmarshal(inp.read().decode("utf-8"))
            logger.debug("Loaded recent files: %s", recent_files)
 </s> add         recent_files = serializer.load(menu_file)
        logger.debug("Loaded recent files: %s", recent_files) </s> remove         self.add_to_recent(cfgfile.name, command)
        logger.debug("Saved config: (command: '%s', cfgfile: '%s')", command, cfgfile)
 </s> add         cfg = self.cli_opts.get_option_values(command)
        self.serializer.save(filename, cfg)
        self.add_to_recent(filename, command)
        logger.debug("Saved config: (command: '%s', filename: '%s')", command, filename) </s> remove         recent_json = self.serializer.marshal(recent_files)
        with open(recent_filename, "wb") as out:
            out.write(recent_json.encode("utf-8"))
 </s> add         self.serializer.save(recent_filename, recent_files) </s> remove         serializer = JSONSerializer
 </s> add         serializer = get_serializer("json") </s> remove         recent_files = serializer.marshal(list())
        with open(menu_file, "wb") as out:
            out.write(recent_files.encode("utf-8"))
 </s> add         serializer.save(menu_file, list())
            recent_files = self.serializer.load(recent_filename)
          logger.debug("Adding to recent files '%s': (%s, %s)", recent_filename, filename, command)
          if not os.path.exists(recent_filename) or os.path.getsize(recent_filename) == 0:
              recent_files = list()
          else:
            recent_files = self.serializer.load(recent_filename)
            recent_files = self.serializer.load(recent_filename)
          logger.debug("Initial recent files: %s", recent_files)
          filenames = [recent[0] for recent in recent_files]
          if filename in filenames:
              idx = filenames.index(filename)
              del recent_files[idx]
keep keep keep keep replace replace keep keep keep keep keep
 Standardize serialization (#903)

* Standardize serialization

- Linting
- Standardize serializer use throughout code
- Extend serializer to load and save files
- Always load and save in utf-8
- Create documentation 
lib/gui/utils.py