Hello All,

I use the following method to serialize a settings class to a string:

'=======================================================================
Public Shared Function DeflateClass(ByVal serializing As Object, ByVal
typeSerializing As System.Type) As String

Dim writer As StringWriter = New StringWriter
Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
New XmlSerializer(typeSerializing)

serializer.Serialize(writer, serializing)

Return writer.ToString()

End Function
'=======================================================================

And I use the following method to deserialize a string into a
settings class:

'=======================================================================
Public Shared Function InflateClass(ByVal serialized As String, ByVal
typeSerialized As System.Type) As Object

Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
New XmlSerializer(typeSerialized)
Dim reader As StringReader = _
New StringReader(serialized)

Return serializer.Deserialize(reader)

End Function
'=======================================================================

Everything works good, BUT ... the name of my settings class has
changed. So now when I try and deserialize existing data I get:

System.InvalidOperationException: There is an error in XML document
(2, 2). ---> System.InvalidOperationException: <MySettings xmlns=''>
was not expected.
at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReader1.Read4_ExecuterSettings()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

This is because the serialized XML root node name (MySettings) does
not match the settings class name (ProcessSettings). I can easily fix
the problem by editing the XML and changing the name of the root node
(from MySettings to ProcessSettings).

Now, there must be a better way, right?

I did some research and found the SerializationBinder class. However,
this seems to only work with the BinaryFormatter or the SoapFormatter
and not with the XmlSerializer. So, what I have ended up with is the
following method:

'=======================================================================
Public Shared Function InflateClass(ByVal serialized As String, ByVal
typeSerialized As System.Type) As Object

Dim existingDoc As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument
existingDoc.LoadXml(serialized)
Dim existingRoot As XmlNode = existingDoc.DocumentElement

Dim newDoc As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument
Dim newRoot As XmlNode = newDoc.CreateElement(typeSerialized.Name)
newRoot.InnerXml = existingRoot.InnerXml
newDoc.AppendChild(newRoot)

serialized = newDoc.OuterXml()

Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
New XmlSerializer(typeSerialized)
Dim reader As StringReader = New StringReader(serialized)
Return serializer.Deserialize(reader)

End Function
'=======================================================================

This works "okay", but I am looking for a better solution. Maybe I am
stuck with this if I continue to use the XmlSerializer instead of
SoapFormatter.

Has anyone had this problem with the XmlSerializer and found a better
solution?

Thanks for any help you can give

Drolem,
> Now, there must be a better way, right?
Not necessarily. ;-)

> This is because the serialized XML root node name (MySettings) does
> not match the settings class name (ProcessSettings). I can easily fix
> the problem by editing the XML and changing the name of the root node
> (from MySettings to ProcessSettings).
Have you considered using an XSLT transform to enable the program to change
the MySettings node to ProcessSettings?

I have not done a lot with XML serialization, I understand that you can use
the System.Xml.Serialization.XmlRootAttribute on your class to control the
root name of the XML created. There are a number of other attributes in
System.Xml.Serialization that you may find helpful.

Hope this helps
Jay


"Drolem" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello All,
>
> I use the following method to serialize a settings class to a string:
>
> '=======================================================================
> Public Shared Function DeflateClass(ByVal serializing As Object, ByVal
> typeSerializing As System.Type) As String
>
> Dim writer As StringWriter = New StringWriter
> Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
> New XmlSerializer(typeSerializing)
>
> serializer.Serialize(writer, serializing)
>
> Return writer.ToString()
>
> End Function
> '=======================================================================
>
> And I use the following method to deserialize a string into a
> settings class:
>
> '=======================================================================
> Public Shared Function InflateClass(ByVal serialized As String, ByVal
> typeSerialized As System.Type) As Object
>
> Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
> New XmlSerializer(typeSerialized)
> Dim reader As StringReader = _
> New StringReader(serialized)
>
> Return serializer.Deserialize(reader)
>
> End Function
> '=======================================================================
>
> Everything works good, BUT ... the name of my settings class has
> changed. So now when I try and deserialize existing data I get:
>
> System.InvalidOperationException: There is an error in XML document
> (2, 2). ---> System.InvalidOperationException: <MySettings xmlns=''>
> was not expected.
> at
Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReader1.Read4_
ExecuterSettings()
> --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
>
> This is because the serialized XML root node name (MySettings) does
> not match the settings class name (ProcessSettings). I can easily fix
> the problem by editing the XML and changing the name of the root node
> (from MySettings to ProcessSettings).
>
> Now, there must be a better way, right?
>
> I did some research and found the SerializationBinder class. However,
> this seems to only work with the BinaryFormatter or the SoapFormatter
> and not with the XmlSerializer. So, what I have ended up with is the
> following method:
>
> '=======================================================================
> Public Shared Function InflateClass(ByVal serialized As String, ByVal
> typeSerialized As System.Type) As Object
>
> Dim existingDoc As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument
> existingDoc.LoadXml(serialized)
> Dim existingRoot As XmlNode = existingDoc.DocumentElement
>
> Dim newDoc As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument
> Dim newRoot As XmlNode = newDoc.CreateElement(typeSerialized.Name)
> newRoot.InnerXml = existingRoot.InnerXml
> newDoc.AppendChild(newRoot)
>
> serialized = newDoc.OuterXml()
>
> Dim serializer As XmlSerializer = _
> New XmlSerializer(typeSerialized)
> Dim reader As StringReader = New StringReader(serialized)
> Return serializer.Deserialize(reader)
>
> End Function
> '=======================================================================
>
> This works "okay", but I am looking for a better solution. Maybe I am
> stuck with this if I continue to use the XmlSerializer instead of
> SoapFormatter.
>
> Has anyone had this problem with the XmlSerializer and found a better
> solution?
>
> Thanks for any help you can give

Ya, it seems like the System.Xml.Serialization.XmlRootAttribute will
help in writing the classes. My main problem is I have lots of these
Xml files to convert and some older processes still using the old
format.

Well, looks like I am stuck until I can upgrade my older software to
use a newer format.

Thanks for your info


"Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> Drolem,
> > Now, there must be a better way, right?
> Not necessarily. ;-)
>
> > This is because the serialized XML root node name (MySettings) does
> > not match the settings class name (ProcessSettings). I can easily fix
> > the problem by editing the XML and changing the name of the root node
> > (from MySettings to ProcessSettings).
> Have you considered using an XSLT transform to enable the program to change
> the MySettings node to ProcessSettings?
>
> I have not done a lot with XML serialization, I understand that you can use
> the System.Xml.Serialization.XmlRootAttribute on your class to control the
> root name of the XML created. There are a number of other attributes in
> System.Xml.Serialization that you may find helpful.
>
> Hope this helps
> Jay
>
>