Serializing and Deserializing Objects…to and from…XML

Over on the Asp.Net forums I recently had the opportunity* to help a few lost souls by showing them how to serialize objects to XML and deserialize the XML back into objects. Since the question has come up more than once, I decided to BLOG it so I could refer similar questions in the future to this post.
*I use the word opportunity because by helping others I am forced to think hard about the technology and to think even harder about how to communicate the technology. It makes me better at what I do. All right then, enough after-school-special-feel-good-about-yourself-I'm-ok-you're-ok fluffy nonsense… on with the code:
Here is a simple class I'm going to work with. It has both properties and fields:

public class MyClass

{

    // old school property

    private int _Age;  

    public int Age  

    {

        get { return _Age; }

        set { _Age = value; }

    }

    // new school property

    public bool Citizen { get; set; }

    // there's nothing wrong with using fields

    public string Name;  

}

Here are the two functions to Serialize and Deserialize an object:

/// ---- SerializeAnObject -----------------------------
/// <summary>
/// Serializes an object to an XML string
/// </summary>
/// <param name="AnObject">The Object to serialize</param>
/// <returns>XML string</returns>
 
public static string SerializeAnObject(object AnObject)
{
    XmlSerializer Xml_Serializer = new XmlSerializer(AnObject.GetType());
    StringWriter Writer = new StringWriter();      
 
    Xml_Serializer.Serialize(Writer, AnObject);
    return Writer.ToString();
}

 

/// ---- DeSerializeAnObject ------------------------------

/// <summary>

/// DeSerialize an object

/// </summary>

/// <param name="XmlOfAnObject">The XML string</param>

/// <param name="ObjectType">The type of object</param>

/// <returns>A deserialized object...must be cast to correct type</returns>

public static Object DeSerializeAnObject(string XmlOfAnObject, Type ObjectType)

{       

    StringReader StrReader = new StringReader(XmlOfAnObject);

    XmlSerializer Xml_Serializer = new XmlSerializer(ObjectType);

    XmlTextReader XmlReader = new XmlTextReader(StrReader);

    try

    {

        Object AnObject = Xml_Serializer.Deserialize(XmlReader);

        return AnObject;

    }

    finally

    {

        XmlReader.Close();

        StrReader.Close();

    }

}

Here is some sample code showing how to use the functions.
Note: I keep these functions (and other functions) in a class I call MiscUtilities. You will have to modify the code…depending on where you place the functions.

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

    // create and initialize an object

    MyClass Test = new MyClass();

    Test.Age = 18;

    Test.Name = "Rocky Balboa";

    Test.Citizen = true;

    //  Serialize it

    String XML;

    XML = MiscUtilities.SerializeAnObject(Test);

    // Deserialize it

    MyClass Test2;

    Test2 = MiscUtilities.DeSerializeAnObject(XML, typeof(MyClass)) as MyClass;

    // TODO:  Get a cup of coffee and bask in the glory of rock solid code.

}

Here is what the XML string looks like (after formatting):

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<MyClass xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Name>Rocky Balboa</Name>
  <Age>18</Age>
  <Citizen>true</Citizen>
</MyClass>

There are limitations: XmlSerializer does not serialize private fields, methods, indexers or read-only fields.
Once you have the XML string, you can email it, store it in a database, save it to disk, or…print a copy of it and have your mom tape it to the refrigerator next to the picture of a turkey you made in second grade by tracing around your hand with a Crayola crayon.

refer: http://weblogs.asp.net/stevewellens/archive/2009/07/02/serializing-and-deserializing-objects-to-and-from-xml.aspx