We have a legacy system that needs to be fed (XML) data in a most unstructured format. Is the following even possible with the .NET DataContractSerializer?
Given the following DataContracts
[CollectionDataContract(Name = "Options", ItemName = "Option")]
public class OptionItemCollection : List<OptionItem>
{
[DataMember(Name = "Name")]
public string Name { get; set; }
public OptionItemCollection()
{
}
public OptionItemCollection(IEnumerable<OptionItem> items) : base(items)
{
}
}
[DataContract(Name = "Option")]
public class OptionItem
{
[DataMember]
public string Text { get; set; }
[DataMember]
public string Value { get; set; }
}
Is it possible to serialize this collection directly into the following XML representation:
<Options>
<Name>Juices</Name>
<Option Value="1">Orange Juice</Option>
<Option Value="2">Pineapple</Option>
<Option Value="3">Fruit Punch</Option>
</Options>
NOTE:
This is exactly how the legacy system expects the data to be submitted.
Or Even:
<Options>
<Name>Juices</Name>
<Option><Value>1</Value><Text>Orange Juice</Text></Option>
<Option><Value>2</Value><Text>Pineapple</Text></Option>
<Option><Value>3</Value><Text>Fruit Punch</Text></Option>
</Options>
Also NOTE that the emphasis is on the Name and Option element residing within the Options element.
Yes. Although the DataContractSerializer doesn't explicitly support XML attributes, you can hand-roll it. Try this:
[CollectionDataContract(Name = "Options", ItemName = "Option")]
public class OptionItemCollection : List<OptionItem>
{
[DataMember(Name = "Name")]
public string Name { get; set; }
public OptionItemCollection()
{
}
public OptionItemCollection(IEnumerable<OptionItem> items)
: base(items)
{
}
}
// note, remove attributes
public class OptionItem : IXmlSerializable
{
public string Text { get; set; }
public string Value { get; set; }
public void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
{
writer.WriteAttributeString("Value", Value);
writer.WriteElementString("Text", Text);
}
public void ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
{
// implement if necessary
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema GetSchema()
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
No, this is not possible with the DataContractSerializer (DCS). The DCS doesn't allow unwrapped collection elements. So you cannot have this:
<a>
<b/>
<b/>
<b/>
<c/>
</a>
But you can have this:
<a>
<bb>
<b/>
<b/>
<b/>
</bb>
<c/>
</a>
In your scenario you'll need to use the XmlSerializer.
Related
The layout I'm going for is like the below layout (this is part of a bigger structure):
<Products>
<R001 Retail=\"2.289\" Rank=\"1\" Code=\"001\" />
<R002 Retail=\"2.289\" Rank=\"2\" Code=\"002\" />
<R003 Retail=\"2.889\" Rank=\"3\" Code=\"003\" />
<R004 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"4\" Code=\"0\" />
<R011 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"7\" Code=\"0\" />
</Products>
So I have a class that has a property called Products. That property is a list of a class I call ProductExport. ProductExport has 3 properties that I mark with the XmlAttribute attribute and they are called Retail, Rank, Code. In ProductExport I implement IXmlSerializable so I can implement WriteXml() in which I make the tag names those R00X tags. That all works fine, however since ProductExport is it's own class the XmlSerializer writes a tag for each ProductExport in the list. I don't want a ProductExport tag. I would have thought by implementing IXmlSerializable on ProductExport I would control everything about how a ProductExport gets written, including NOT writing it's class name, but it seems to not be the case. How do I restrict writing it's class name?
public class StoresExport
{
public int ID { get; set; }
public int Name { get; set; }
public string State { get; set; }
public int DistrictID { get; set; }
public int? RegionID { get; set; }
public decimal Latitude { get; set; }
public decimal Longitude { get; set; }
public List<CompetitorLocation> RelatedLocations { get; set; }
public List<ProductExport> Products { get; set; }
}
public class ProductExport : IXmlSerializable
{
public float Retail { get; set; }
public int Rank { get; set; }
public string Code { get; set; }
public XmlSchema GetSchema()
{
return null;
}
public void ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
{
// we aren't ever reading just writing
}
public void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
{
writer.WriteStartElement("R" + Code);
writer.WriteAttributeString("Retail", Retail.ToString());
writer.WriteAttributeString("Rank", Rank.ToString());
writer.WriteAttributeString("Code", Code);
writer.WriteEndElement();
}
}
With that code this is the output which I don't want:
<Products>
<ProductExport>
<R001 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"1\" Code=\"001\" />
</ProductExport>
<ProductExport>
<R002 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"2\" Code=\"002\" />
</ProductExport>
<ProductExport>
<R003 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"3\" Code=\"003\" />
</ProductExport>
<ProductExport>
<R004 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"4\" Code=\"004\" />
</ProductExport>
<ProductExport>
<R011 Retail=\"0\" Rank=\"7\" Code=\"011\" />
</ProductExport>
</Products>
Per the docs, it's the parent element that will write the start and end elements for ProductExport:
The WriteXml implementation you provide should write out the XML representation of the object. The framework writes a wrapper element and positions the XML writer after its start. Your implementation may write its contents, including child elements. The framework then closes the wrapper element.
So to do this, you need to write the element name you want within Products. The simplest way to do this is to replace the List<ProductExport> with your own class that also implements IXmlSerializable.
When this is serialized, the framework will have already written the Product element (and will close it after), so, sticking with the contract, all you have to write is the start and end elements for each of your items and delegate the writing of their content to their implementation of IXmlSerializable:
public class Products : IXmlSerializable, IEnumerable<ProductExport>
{
private readonly List<ProductExport> _products = new List<ProductExport>();
public void Add(ProductExport product) => _products.Add(product);
public XmlSchema GetSchema() => null;
public void ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
{
throw new NotSupportedException();
}
public void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
{
foreach (var product in this)
{
writer.WriteStartElement("R" + product.Code);
product.WriteXml(writer);
writer.WriteEndElement();
}
}
public IEnumerator<ProductExport> GetEnumerator() => _products.GetEnumerator();
IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator() => GetEnumerator();
}
See this fiddle for a working demo.
I would like to disable emmiting empty elements in Xml in List.
I know about PropertyNameSpecified pattern but I don't know how to apply it to the list.
I have list of elements and it is being serialized. Some of those elements are empty and are producing empty Xml elements in that list (what I don't want).
My sample code:
public class ConditionsCollectionModel
{
[XmlElement("forbidden")]
public List<ForbiddenModel> ForbiddenCollection { get; set; }
[XmlElement("required")]
public List<RequiredModel> RequiredCollection { get; set; }
}
public class ForbiddenModel : IXmlSerializable
{
public string Value { get; set; }
public XmlSchema GetSchema()
{
return null;
}
public void ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
{
Value = reader.ReadElementString("forbidden");
}
public void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
{
writer.WriteString(Value);
}
}
public class RuleModel
{
[XmlElement("name")]
public string Name { get; set; }
[XmlElement("conditions")]
public ConditionsCollectionModel Conditions { get; set; }
}
It produces Xml in form like:
<rule>
<name>SR</name>
<conditions>
<forbidden />
<forbidden />
<forbidden>Ftest</forbidden>
<required>test</required>
<required>test2</required>
</conditions>
</rule>
I don't want those empty elements in conditions list.
The question is rather old but I experienced the same problem today. So for anybody reading this topic, this is the solution that works for me.
Add "ShouldSerialize{PropertyName}"
public class ConditionsCollectionModel
{
[XmlElement("forbidden")]
public List<ForbiddenModel> ForbiddenCollection { get; set; }
[XmlElement("required")]
public List<RequiredModel> RequiredCollection { get; set; }
public bool ShouldSerializeForbiddenCollection(){
return (ForbiddenCollection !=null && ForbiddenCollection.Count>0);
}
see: MSDN
Since ForbiddenCollection is list of Forbidden Class, you can set value of an empty ForbiddenClass object to null while inserting into the List.
I use C# to deserialize a XML file. My XML file has the format:
<Produced_by >
<Producing_Unit>
<Unit ID="" Name=""/>
</Producing_Unit>
</Produced_by>
When deserializing I want to remove the middleman Producing_Unit. Since Produced_by will always contain only one subelement Producing_Unit specifying the Unit.
My initial thoughts on how to implement doesn't work:
public class Unit
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string ID { get; set; }
}
public class Produced_by
{
[XmlElement("Producing_Unit")]
[XmlElement("Unit")]
public Unit Unit { get; set; }
}
It could be soleved by using [XmlArray("Producing_Unit"), XmlArrayItem("Unit")]
and then having Produced_by contain: public List<Unit> {get;set;}. But that's not what I want.
As far as I know, it's not possible to use the XML with the "Producing_Unit" tag but ditch the matching Producing_Unit class with the standard attributes short of implementing the IXmlSerializable interface. Your best bet would be to separate your application/business logic from your serialization layer.
Keep your serialization data model simple and matching your XML schema (this means including the wrapping Producing_Unit class), then simply convert to/from that data model and a cleaner data model (without Producing_Unit) for the rest of your application to work with.
EDIT: Here's an implementation using the IXmlSerializable interface. I just whipped it off and honestly, don't know if it will work for all cases.
public class Unit
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string ID { get; set; }
}
public class Produced_by : IXmlSerializable
{
public Unit Unit { get; set; }
public void WriteXml (XmlWriter writer)
{
writer.WriteStartElement("Produced_by");
writer.WriteStartElement("Producing_Unit");
writer.WriteStartElement("Unit");
writer.WriteAttributeString("ID", this.Unit.ID);
writer.WriteAttributeString("Name", this.Unit.Name);
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteEndElement();
}
public void ReadXml (XmlReader reader)
{
while (reader.Read())
{
if (reader.Name == "Unit")
{
this.Unit = new Unit()
{
Name = reader.GetAttribute("Name"),
ID = reader.GetAttribute("ID")
};
break;
}
}
}
public XmlSchema GetSchema()
{
return(null);
}
}
I suspect that I'm performing the reading in a poor fashion, but this works in my local test. I still recommend separating your application and serialization concerns though and avoiding having to write an implementation like this.
You could try this:
public class Unit
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string ID { get; set; }
}
public class Producing_Unit
{
public Unit Unit { get; set; }
}
public class Produced_by
{
private Producing_Unit producing_unit;
public Producing_Unit Producing_Unit //This can't be auto-implemented since can write to properties of properties.
{
get { return producing_Unit; }
set { producing_Unit = value; }
}
[XmlIgnoreAttribute]
public Unit Unit
{
get { return producing_Unit.Unit; }
set { producing_Unit.Unit = value; }
}
}
Yes, it doesn't get rid of the 'middle-men,' but you can ignore them.
How could I serialize my below class {0} to the below xml {1}.
So, the class name, property names should match to the xml.
{0}:
[Serializable]
public class ProfileSite
{
[XmlAttribute("profileId")]
public int ProfileId { get; set; }
[XmlAttribute("siteId")]
public int SiteId { get; set; }
public Link[] Links { get; set; }
public XElement Deserialize()
{
}
}
{1}:
<profileSite profileId="" siteId="">
<links>
<link>
<originalUrl></originalUrl>
<isCrawled></isCrawled>
<isBroken></isBroken>
<isHtmlPage></isHtmlPage>
<firstAppearedLevel></firstAppearedLevel>
</link>
</links>
</profileSite>
Many thanks,
[XmlRoot("profileSite")]
public class ProfileSite
{
[XmlAttribute("profileId")]
public int ProfileId { get; set; }
[XmlAttribute("siteId")]
public int SiteId { get; set; }
[XmlArray("links"), XmlArrayItem("link")]
public Link[] Links { get; set; }
}
then:
var ser = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ProfileSite));
var site = (ProfileSite) ser.Deserialize(source);
The first step is to mark up your class with the relevant Xml... attributes which control the sreialization and whether to have attributes or elements. Your requirement basically changes the case, and has properties of the main object as attributes and properties of all child Link objects as elements:
[XmlRoot("profileSite")]
public class ProfileSite
{
[XmlAttribute("profileId")]
public int ProfileId { get; set; }
[XmlAttribute("siteId")]
public int SiteId { get; set; }
[XmlArray("links"), XmlArrayItem("link")]
public Link[] Links { get; set; }
}
public class Link
{
[XmlElement("originalUrl")]
public string OriginalUrl{get;set;}
// You other props here much like the above
}
Then to serialize it use XmlSerializer.Serialize there are many overloads taking varios places to output the result. For testing you can use the Console.Out.
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ProfileSite));
serializer.Serialize(Console.Out, obj);
You may want to add an empty namespace manager, which stops the ugly extra xmlns attributes:
XmlSerializerNamespaces ns = new XmlSerializerNamespaces();
ns.Add("","");
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(ProfileSite));
serializer.Serialize(Console.Out, obj,ns);
Output of the above using this example object:
var obj = new ProfileSite{
ProfileId=1,
SiteId=2,
Links = new[]{
new Link{OriginalUrl="www.google.com" },
new Link{OriginalUrl="www.foo.com" }
}};
is this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<profileSite profileId="1" siteId="2">
<links>
<link>
<originalUrl>www.google.com</originalUrl>
</link>
<link>
<originalUrl>www.foo.com</originalUrl>
</link>
</links>
</profileSite>
Finally, here's a working example for you to play around with: http://rextester.com/XCJHD55693
I'm converting a Dictionary object into a List<> derived class by means of the following two declarations:
[Serializable]
public class LogItem
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public string Value { get; set; }
public LogItem(string key, string value)
{
Name = key; Value = value;
}
public LogItem() { }
}
public class SerializableDictionary : List<LogItem>
{
public SerializableDictionary(Dictionary<string, string> table)
{
IDictionaryEnumerator index = table.GetEnumerator();
while (index.MoveNext())
{
Put(index.Key.ToString(), index.Value.ToString());
}
}
private void Put(string key, string value)
{
base.Add(new LogItem(key, value));
}
}
I intend to serialize SerializableDictionary by means of the following code:
SerializableDictionary log = new SerializableDictionary(contents);
using (StringWriter xmlText = new StringWriter())
{
XmlSerializer xmlFormat =
new XmlSerializer(typeof(SerializableDictionary), new XmlRootAttribute("Log"));
xmlFormat.Serialize(xmlText, log);
}
Works fine, but I'm unable to change the XML formatting.
This XML document is intended to be sent to a xml database field and is not meant to be deserialized.
I'd rather have both Name and Value
formatted as attributes of the
LogItem element.
However any attempts at using XMLAttribute have resulted in Reflection or compilation errors. I'm at loss as to what I can do to achieve this requirement. Could someone please help?
you can annotate them with XmlAttribute:
[Serializable]
public class LogItem
{
[XmlAttribute]
public string Name { get; set; }
[XmlAttribute]
public string Value { get; set; }
public LogItem(string key, string value)
{
Name = key; Value = value;
}
public LogItem() { }
}
This worked fine for me and produced the following XML (based on sample input):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<Log xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<LogItem Name="foo" Value="bar" />
<LogItem Name="asdf" Value="bcxcvxc" />
</Log>
There must be something else going on besides what you are showing. I am able to compile and execute the above code both with and without the XmlAttribute attribute applied to the Name and Value properties.
[XmlAttribute]
public string Name { get; set; }
[XmlAttribute]
public string Value { get; set; }