NetDataContractSerializer Class

Definition

Serializes and deserializes an instance of a type into XML stream or document using the supplied .NET Framework types. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class NetDataContractSerializer sealed : System::Runtime::Serialization::XmlObjectSerializer, System::Runtime::Serialization::IFormatter
public sealed class NetDataContractSerializer : System.Runtime.Serialization.XmlObjectSerializer, System.Runtime.Serialization.IFormatter
type NetDataContractSerializer = class
    inherit XmlObjectSerializer
    interface IFormatter
Public NotInheritable Class NetDataContractSerializer
Inherits XmlObjectSerializer
Implements IFormatter
Inheritance
NetDataContractSerializer
Implements

Examples

The following example code shows a type named Person that is serialized by the NetDataContractSerializer. The DataContractAttribute attribute is applied to the class, and the DataMemberAttribute is applied to members (including a private member) to instruct the NetDataContractSerializer what to serialize.

// You must apply a DataContractAttribute or SerializableAttribute
// to a class to have it serialized by the NetDataContractSerializer.
[DataContract(Name = "Customer", Namespace = "http://www.contoso.com")]
class Person : IExtensibleDataObject
{
    [DataMember()]
    public string FirstName;
    [DataMember]
    public string LastName;
    [DataMember()]
    public int ID;

    public Person(string newfName, string newLName, int newID)
    {
        FirstName = newfName;
        LastName = newLName;
        ID = newID;
    }

    private ExtensionDataObject extensionData_Value;

    public ExtensionDataObject ExtensionData
    {
        get
        {
            return extensionData_Value;
        }
        set
        {
            extensionData_Value = value;
        }
    }
}

public sealed class Test
{
    private Test() { }

    public static void Main()
    {
        try
        {
            WriteObject("NetDataContractSerializerExample.xml");
            ReadObject("NetDataContractSerializerExample.xml");
        }

        catch (SerializationException serExc)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Serialization Failed");
            Console.WriteLine(serExc.Message);
        }
        catch (Exception exc)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(
            "The serialization operation failed: {0} StackTrace: {1}",
            exc.Message, exc.StackTrace);
        }

        finally
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Press <Enter> to exit....");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

    public static void WriteObject(string fileName)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(
            "Creating a Person object and serializing it.");
        Person p1 = new Person("Zighetti", "Barbara", 101);
        FileStream fs = new FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create);
        XmlDictionaryWriter writer = XmlDictionaryWriter.CreateTextWriter(fs);
        NetDataContractSerializer ser =
            new NetDataContractSerializer();
        ser.WriteObject(writer, p1);
        writer.Close();
    }

    public static void ReadObject(string fileName)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Deserializing an instance of the object.");
        FileStream fs = new FileStream(fileName,
        FileMode.Open);
        XmlDictionaryReader reader =
            XmlDictionaryReader.CreateTextReader(fs, new XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas());
        NetDataContractSerializer ser = new NetDataContractSerializer();

        // Deserialize the data and read it from the instance.
        Person deserializedPerson =
            (Person)ser.ReadObject(reader, true);
        fs.Close();
        Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0} {1}, ID: {2}",
        deserializedPerson.FirstName, deserializedPerson.LastName,
        deserializedPerson.ID));
    }
}
' You must apply a DataContractAttribute or SerializableAttribute
' to a class to have it serialized by the NetDataContractSerializer.
<DataContract(Name := "Customer", [Namespace] := "http://www.contoso.com")>  _
Class Person
    Implements IExtensibleDataObject
    <DataMember()>  _
    Public FirstName As String
    <DataMember()>  _
    Public LastName As String
    <DataMember()>  _
    Public ID As Integer
    
    
    Public Sub New(ByVal newfName As String, ByVal newLName As String, _
       ByVal newID As Integer) 
        FirstName = newfName
        LastName = newLName
        ID = newID
    
    End Sub 
    
    Private extensionData_Value As ExtensionDataObject
    
    
    Public Property ExtensionData() As ExtensionDataObject _
     Implements IExtensibleDataObject.ExtensionData
        Get
            Return extensionData_Value
        End Get
        Set
            extensionData_Value = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class 


NotInheritable Public Class Test

    Private Sub New() 
    
    End Sub
     
    Public Shared Sub Main() 
        Try
            WriteObject("NetDataContractSerializerExample.xml")
            ReadObject("NetDataContractSerializerExample.xml")
        
        Catch serExc As SerializationException
            Console.WriteLine("Serialization Failed")
            Console.WriteLine(serExc.Message)
        Catch exc As Exception
            Console.WriteLine("The serialization operation failed: {0} StackTrace: {1}", exc.Message, exc.StackTrace)
        
        Finally
            Console.WriteLine("Press <Enter> to exit....")
            Console.ReadLine()
        End Try
    
    End Sub 
    
    
    Public Shared Sub WriteObject(ByVal fileName As String) 
        Console.WriteLine("Creating a Person object and serializing it.")
        Dim p1 As New Person("Zighetti", "Barbara", 101)
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)
        Dim writer As XmlDictionaryWriter = XmlDictionaryWriter.CreateTextWriter(fs)
        Dim ser As New System.Runtime.Serialization.NetDataContractSerializer()

        ser.WriteObject(writer, p1)
        writer.Close()
    
    End Sub     

    Public Shared Sub ReadObject(ByVal fileName As String) 
        Console.WriteLine("Deserializing an instance of the object.")
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)
        Dim reader As XmlDictionaryReader = _
           XmlDictionaryReader.CreateTextReader(fs, New XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas())
        Dim ser As New System.Runtime.Serialization.NetDataContractSerializer()
        
        ' Deserialize the data and read it from the instance.
        Dim deserializedPerson As Person = CType(ser.ReadObject(reader, True), Person)
        fs.Close()
        Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0} {1}, ID: {2}", deserializedPerson.FirstName, deserializedPerson.LastName, deserializedPerson.ID))
    
    End Sub 
End Class

Remarks

Security

NetDataContractSerializer is insecure. For more information, see the BinaryFormatter security guide.

The NetDataContractSerializer differs from the DataContractSerializer in one important way: the NetDataContractSerializer includes CLR type information in the serialized XML, whereas the DataContractSerializer does not. Therefore, the NetDataContractSerializer can be used only if both the serializing and deserializing ends share the same CLR types.

The serializer can serialize types to which either the DataContractAttribute or SerializableAttribute attribute has been applied. It also serializes types that implement ISerializable.

For more information about serialization, see Serialization and Deserialization.

Incompatibility with XElement

The XElement class is used to write XML. However, the NetDataContractSerializer cannot serialize an instance of the type. The following code, therefore, fails with the exception: "Root type 'System.Xml.Linq.XElement' is not supported at the top level by NetDataContractSerializer since it is IXmlSerializable with IsAny=true and must write all its contents including the root element."

FileStream fs = new FileStream("mystuff.xml", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite);
XElement myElement = new XElement("Parent", new XElement("child1", "form"),
    new XElement("child2", "base"),
    new XElement("child3", "formbase")
    );
NetDataContractSerializer dcs = new NetDataContractSerializer();
dcs.WriteObject(fs, myElement);
Dim fs As New FileStream("mystuff.xml", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite)
Dim myElement As New XElement("Parent", New XElement("child1", "form"), _
    New XElement("child2", "base"), _
    New XElement("child3", "formbase") _
    )
Dim ser As New System.Runtime.Serialization. _
  NetDataContractSerializer()
ser.WriteObject(fs, myElement)

However, if an XElement is used as the type of a field or property of a class, the data contained by the field or property is serialized. This is because as a member of a class, the data is not the top level of the class.

Constructors

NetDataContractSerializer()

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class.

NetDataContractSerializer(StreamingContext)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with the supplied streaming context data.

NetDataContractSerializer(StreamingContext, Int32, Boolean, FormatterAssemblyStyle, ISurrogateSelector)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with the supplied context data; in addition, specifies the maximum number of items in the object to be serialized, and parameters to specify whether extra data is ignored, the assembly loading method, and a surrogate selector.

NetDataContractSerializer(String, String)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with the supplied XML root element and namespace.

NetDataContractSerializer(String, String, StreamingContext, Int32, Boolean, FormatterAssemblyStyle, ISurrogateSelector)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with the supplied context data and root name and namespace; in addition, specifies the maximum number of items in the object to be serialized, and parameters to specify whether extra data is ignored, the assembly loading method, and a surrogate selector.

NetDataContractSerializer(XmlDictionaryString, XmlDictionaryString)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with two parameters of type XmlDictionaryString that contain the root element and namespace used to specify the content.

NetDataContractSerializer(XmlDictionaryString, XmlDictionaryString, StreamingContext, Int32, Boolean, FormatterAssemblyStyle, ISurrogateSelector)

Initializes a new instance of the NetDataContractSerializer class with the supplied context data, and root name and namespace (as XmlDictionaryString parameters); in addition, specifies the maximum number of items in the object to be serialized, and parameters to specify whether extra data found is ignored, assembly loading method, and a surrogate selector.

Properties

AssemblyFormat

Gets a value that specifies a method for locating and loading assemblies.

Binder

Gets or sets an object that controls class loading.

Context

Gets or sets the object that enables the passing of context data that is useful while serializing or deserializing.

IgnoreExtensionDataObject

Gets a value that specifies whether data supplied by an extension of the object is ignored.

MaxItemsInObjectGraph

Gets the maximum number of items allowed in the object to be serialized.

SurrogateSelector

Gets or sets an object that assists the formatter when selecting a surrogate for serialization.

Methods

Deserialize(Stream)

Deserializes an XML document or stream into an object.

Equals(Object)

Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.

(Inherited from Object)
GetHashCode()

Serves as the default hash function.

(Inherited from Object)
GetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.

(Inherited from Object)
IsStartObject(XmlDictionaryReader)

Determines whether the XmlDictionaryReader is positioned on an object that can be deserialized using the specified reader.

IsStartObject(XmlReader)

Determines whether the XmlReader is positioned on an object that can be deserialized using the specified reader.

MemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.

(Inherited from Object)
ReadObject(Stream)

Reads the XML stream or document with a Stream and returns the deserialized object.

(Inherited from XmlObjectSerializer)
ReadObject(XmlDictionaryReader)

Reads the XML document or stream with an XmlDictionaryReader and returns the deserialized object.

(Inherited from XmlObjectSerializer)
ReadObject(XmlDictionaryReader, Boolean)

Reads the XML stream or document with an XmlDictionaryReader and returns the deserialized object; also checks whether the object data conforms to the name and namespace used to create the serializer.

ReadObject(XmlReader)

Reads the XML stream or document with an XmlDictionaryReader and returns the deserialized object.

ReadObject(XmlReader, Boolean)

Reads the XML stream or document with an XmlDictionaryReader and returns the deserialized object; also checks whether the object data conforms to the name and namespace used to create the serializer.

Serialize(Stream, Object)

Serializes the specified object graph using the specified writer.

ToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.

(Inherited from Object)
WriteEndObject(XmlDictionaryWriter)

Writes the closing XML element using an XmlDictionaryWriter.

WriteEndObject(XmlWriter)

Writes the closing XML element using an XmlWriter.

WriteObject(Stream, Object)

Writes the complete content (start, content, and end) of the object to the XML document or stream with the specified Stream.

(Inherited from XmlObjectSerializer)
WriteObject(XmlDictionaryWriter, Object)

Writes the complete content (start, content, and end) of the object to the XML document or stream with the specified XmlDictionaryWriter.

(Inherited from XmlObjectSerializer)
WriteObject(XmlWriter, Object)

Writes the complete content (start, content, and end) of the object to the XML document or stream with the specified XmlWriter.

WriteObjectContent(XmlDictionaryWriter, Object)

Writes the XML content using an XmlDictionaryWriter.

WriteObjectContent(XmlWriter, Object)

Writes the XML content using an XmlWriter.

WriteStartObject(XmlDictionaryWriter, Object)

Writes the opening XML element using an XmlDictionaryWriter.

WriteStartObject(XmlWriter, Object)

Writes the opening XML element using an XmlWriter.

Applies to

See also