How to serialize a class with nested class

Question

I have a class like this:

class Person
    {
        int id;

        public int Id
        {
            get { return id; }
            set { id = value; }
        }

        string name;

        public string Name
        {
            get { return name; }
            set { name = value; }
        }

        int age;

        public int Age
        {
            get { return age; }
            set { age = value; }
        }

        bool sex;

        public bool Sex
        {
            get { return sex; }
            set { sex = value; }
        }

        Address address;

        internal Address Address
        {
            get { return address; }
            set { address = value; }
        }

        List<string> hobby;

        public List<string> Hobby
        {
            get { return hobby; }
            set { hobby = value; }
        }
    }

the Address Class like this:

class Address
    {
        string companyAddress;
        
        public string CompanyAddress
        {
            get { return companyAddress; }
            set { companyAddress = value; }
        }

        string homeAddress;
        
        public string HomeAddress
        {
            get { return homeAddress; }
            set { homeAddress = value; }
        }
    }

I want to serialize a List<Person> to a xml file, what should I do?

I tried to add [XmlElement(ElementName="...")] before all of the properties of Person class and Address class, but after serializing, I got a xml file which all the properties I want to serialize as an element of the xml been serialized as attribute. What was worse, the List<string> hobby and Address property can't be serialized.

Need help!

Answer 1

Friend,

  What you need to add is [Serializable()] attrubute for the class and the List property you have. The rest will be taken care by the framework.

Click here for more info.

---

-- Thanks Ajith R Nair

Answer 2

> but after serializing, I got a xml file which all the properties I want to serialize as an element of the xml been serialized as attribute. What was worse, the List<string> hobby and Address property can't be serialized.


use "public Address Address" instead of "internal Address Address"

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var list = new List<Person> 
            {
                new Person {  
                    Id = 1, Name = "p1", Age = 20, Sex = true,  
                    Address = new Address { CompanyAddress = "ca1", HomeAddress = "ha1" },
                    Hobby = new List<string> { "h1", "h2" }
                },
                new Person {  
                    Id = 2, Name = "p2", Age = 20, Sex = true,  
                    Address = new Address { CompanyAddress = "ca2", HomeAddress = "ha2" },
                    Hobby = new List<string> { "h3", "h3" }
                },
            };

            // to xml
            var xs = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<Person>));
            var sw = new StringWriter();
            xs.Serialize(sw, list);
            Console.WriteLine(sw.ToString());

            // to json 
            // 1) add references to System.Web.Extensions.dll; 
            // 2) the Project Properties - Application - 'Target framework' should be '.Net Framework 4'
            var json = new JavaScriptSerializer().Serialize(list);
            Console.WriteLine("\n\n" + json);
            
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

    public class Person
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public int Age { get; set; }
        public bool Sex { get; set; }
        public Address Address { get; set; }
        public List<string> Hobby { get; set; }
    }
    public class Address
    {
        public string CompanyAddress { get; set; }
        public string HomeAddress { get; set; }
    }
}

 

Answer 3

> internal Address Address {...}   [...] Address property can't be serialized.


for the non-public properties serialization use DataContractSerializer http://stackoverflow.com/q/420710

 

Answer 4

  What you need to add is [Serializable()] attrubute for the class and the List property you have.

You cannot put a Serializable attribute on a property. Using it on the class is useless for XML serialization.