Defining a type that works like the types that support XmlArrayAttribu te

[Martin Z]

Hi,

I'm trying to support a 3rd-party XML format for which there is no
schema. As such, I've been making my objects that map to their format
using the XMLSerializer.. . but there's one object that stops me.

We have a class called Abstract-A, and a collection of Abstract-As
we'll call A-List. One particular subtype of AbstractA is bothering
me, because it works like this:

<AList>
<D foo="foo" bar="bar"/>
<G foo="foo">quux</G>
<B>
<B-Child foo="foo"/>
<B-Child foo="bar"/>
</B>
</AList>

As you can see, the problem is B-child. I define AList as a list of
Abstract-A's, and D, G, and B as subtypes of Abstract-A. But B is a
list of B-Childs. I tried defining B's "XmlText" member as being a
list of B-Childs, but you can only apply XmlText to strings (or arrays
of strings).

Any help would be appreciated.

[Martin Z]

On Feb 23, 12:24 pm, "Martin Z" <martin.zar...@ gmail.comwrote:

Hi,

I'm trying to support a 3rd-party XML format for which there is no
schema. As such, I've been making my objects that map to their format
using the XMLSerializer.. . but there's one object that stops me.

We have a class called Abstract-A, and a collection of Abstract-As
we'll call A-List. One particular subtype of AbstractA is bothering
me, because it works like this:

<AList>
<D foo="foo" bar="bar"/>
<G foo="foo">quux</G>
<B>
<B-Child foo="foo"/>
<B-Child foo="bar"/>
</B>
</AList>

As you can see, the problem is B-child. I define AList as a list of
Abstract-A's, and D, G, and B as subtypes of Abstract-A. But B is a
list of B-Childs. I tried defining B's "XmlText" member as being a
list of B-Childs, but you can only apply XmlText to strings (or arrays
of strings).

Any help would be appreciated.

I've tried a few things more so far, still with no success:
1) XmlText, mentioned above.
2) Multiple XMLElement members (one for each element in the array -
horrible klude idea) - didn't work.
3) Implementing IEnumerable - might've worked, but the XmlSerializer
no longer considers my type B to be a subtype of Abstract-A, so it
can't be used in the AList.

[Martin Z]

On Feb 23, 12:24 pm, "Martin Z" <martin.zar...@ gmail.comwrote:

Hi,

I'm trying to support a 3rd-party XML format for which there is no
schema. As such, I've been making my objects that map to their format
using the XMLSerializer.. . but there's one object that stops me.

We have a class called Abstract-A, and a collection of Abstract-As
we'll call A-List. One particular subtype of AbstractA is bothering
me, because it works like this:

<AList>
<D foo="foo" bar="bar"/>
<G foo="foo">quux</G>
<B>
<B-Child foo="foo"/>
<B-Child foo="bar"/>
</B>
</AList>

As you can see, the problem is B-child. I define AList as a list of
Abstract-A's, and D, G, and B as subtypes of Abstract-A. But B is a
list of B-Childs. I tried defining B's "XmlText" member as being a
list of B-Childs, but you can only apply XmlText to strings (or arrays
of strings).

Any help would be appreciated.

*bump*

anybody? I keep running into schema of this style - the XMLSerializer
is so limited for stuff like this.