Can you serialize a Dictionary using XMLSerializer?

[=?Utf-8?B?U2hhd24=?=]

Hi;
I would like to be able to use the XMLSerializer to serialize and
deserialize a dictionary. is that possible? i know that you can serialize an
object that implements the ICollection interface. does the fact that
Dictionary inherits from ICollection<cau se a problem?
Currently i am using a class that inherits from ICollection and it has a
Dictionary as it's container. but when it gets to creating the serialized
object it blows up. here is the code for the collection class:

using System;
using System.Collecti ons;
using System.Collecti ons.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
namespace testBed
{
[Serializable]

public class ItemFile : ICollection
{

private Dictionary<obje ct, ItemADList = new Dictionary<obje ct,
Item>();

public Item this[object key]
{
get { return (Item)ADList[key]; }
}
public void Add(Item entry)
{
ADList.Add(entr y.GetProperty(" ID"), entry);
}
public void Clear()
{
ADList.Clear();
}
public int Count
{
get { return ADList.Count; }
}

public void CopyTo(Array a, int index)
{
foreach(Item item in ADList.Values)
{
a.SetValue(item , index);
index++;
}
}
public object SyncRoot
{
get { return this; }
}
public bool IsSynchronized
{
get { return false; }
}
public IEnumerator GetEnumerator()
{
return ADList.GetEnume rator();
}
}
}

here is the code i use to read and write:

private static void read(string filename, out ItemFile file)
{
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(ItemFile) );
FileStream fs = new FileStream(file name, FileMode.Open);
file = (ItemFile)seria lizer.Deseriali ze(fs);

}
private static void write(string filename, ItemFile file)
{
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(ItemFile) );
TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter(fi lename);
serializer.Seri alize(writer, file);
writer.Close();
}

any help would be appreciated.
thanks.

[Ignacio Machin ( .NET/ C# MVP )]

On May 5, 8:22*am, Shawn <Sh...@discussi ons.microsoft.c omwrote:

Hi;
I would like to be able to use the XMLSerializer to serialize and
deserialize a dictionary. is that possible?

Hi,

I think that is depends of the key/value types, if you are using a
non serializable type you will not be able to serialize it

[sloan]

See

http://sholliday.space s.live.com/Blog/cns!A68482B9628 A842A!114.entry

I have not "2.0'ed it up", but maybe it'll help.

"Shawn" <Sh***@discussi ons.microsoft.c omwrote in message
news:B0******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

Hi;
I would like to be able to use the XMLSerializer to serialize and
deserialize a dictionary. is that possible? i know that you can serialize
an
object that implements the ICollection interface. does the fact that
Dictionary inherits from ICollection<cau se a problem?
Currently i am using a class that inherits from ICollection and it has a
Dictionary as it's container. but when it gets to creating the serialized
object it blows up. here is the code for the collection class:

using System;
using System.Collecti ons;
using System.Collecti ons.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
namespace testBed
{
[Serializable]

public class ItemFile : ICollection
{

private Dictionary<obje ct, ItemADList = new Dictionary<obje ct,
Item>();

public Item this[object key]
{
get { return (Item)ADList[key]; }
}
public void Add(Item entry)
{
ADList.Add(entr y.GetProperty(" ID"), entry);
}
public void Clear()
{
ADList.Clear();
}
public int Count
{
get { return ADList.Count; }
}

public void CopyTo(Array a, int index)
{
foreach(Item item in ADList.Values)
{
a.SetValue(item , index);
index++;
}
}
public object SyncRoot
{
get { return this; }
}
public bool IsSynchronized
{
get { return false; }
}
public IEnumerator GetEnumerator()
{
return ADList.GetEnume rator();
}
}
}

here is the code i use to read and write:

private static void read(string filename, out ItemFile file)
{
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(ItemFile) );
FileStream fs = new FileStream(file name, FileMode.Open);
file = (ItemFile)seria lizer.Deseriali ze(fs);

}
private static void write(string filename, ItemFile file)
{
XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(ItemFile) );
TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter(fi lename);
serializer.Seri alize(writer, file);
writer.Close();
}

any help would be appreciated.
thanks.