C# Newb - XMLSerializing a List

Hi, I'm pretty new to C# and am trying to write a class with data in it that i can save and load from an XML file, are there any built in Generic Containers/Collection, something like List or Stack that XML can serialize, my code is below, but whatever container i use i get an exception complaining about how it can't serialize the collection i am using (List) in this case.

How do i have to go about serializing a collection of objects Is it something that can be done with a similar amoutn of code as below or am i dreaming

namespace Test
{
public class ClassA
{
public List<ClassB> Events;

public ClassA()
{
Events = new List<ClassB>();

Events.Add(new ClassB());
}

#region Load/Save Code

public void Save(string filename)
{
Stream stream = File.Create(filename);

XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ClassA));

serializer.Serialize(stream, this);
stream.Close();

return;
}

public static ClassA Load(string filename)
{
Stream stream = File.OpenRead(filename);

XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ClassA));

ClassA result = (ClassA) serializer.Deserialize(stream);

stream.Close();

return (result);
}

#endregion
}

public class ClassB
{
public int testVar;

public ClassB()
{
testVar = 1;

return;
}
}
}

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C# Newb - XMLSerializing a List

Deepthi Rao

I dont know if you understand VB.NET but here is some code I gave this member a while back, includes serializing/deserializing in the OP question

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=739419&SiteID=1

What errors are you getting

try these:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.xml.serialization.xmlserializer.aspx

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.xml.serialization.xmlserializer.serialize.aspx

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.xml.serialization.xmlserializer.deserialize.aspx

I believe from your code, it should not be:
serializer.Serialize(stream, this);

but should be:

serializer.Serialize(stream, this.Events);

you *may* also need to give the Serializer additional types since it appears you are storing different classes in the List<T>() collection. Try the above and see how it goes.
Corby111
P.S I've just tried your code (copy and paste) and it works fine, no errors...
Sumit Chawla
(that was the problem by the way, that i didn't include the parameterless constructor) :)
Pavan Podila
ah ok thanx, i worked it out, i modified the code a little to simplify and make it more self contained before posting, my original ClassB didn't have a parameterless constructor >.<

thanks :)
Sweeps78

glad you got it sorted out...got me confused too. Started rattling out my mind (which by the way has a cold) posting all possible problems to check/add..giving links...then a few minutes later copied and pasted the code, works fine for both deserializing and serializing...lol. Then modified the code a bit to just serialize the collection, as in your original question....

ah well, glad you got it sorted. Feel free (and would advise it) to mark any answer thats right to you - benefits others
C# Newb - XMLSerializing a List

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