C#-App: Inherit from ISerializable for Serialization

[dantz]

hi everyone,

when doing serialization, do I really need to inherit from ISerializable ?
I am not sure if there is something wrong with my code but when i don't inherit from that interface I can still serialize my object and deserialize it.
Am I missing something?



Thank you in advance.

[vinci]

i dont think so... you dont need to inherit that interface...
Just by placing
<Serializable()> for VB
[Serializable()] for C#
on top of a class, will make it serializable...

I think you inherit that interface when you need to serialize a type/property which is not serializable...

cheers!

[vekipeki]

You need to implement ISerializable only if you need to create your own, custom serialization. If .Net serialization is ok for you, just add [Serializable] and you're fine.

[dantz]

Ok, now I understand. But if I implement ISerializable will I be able to control the size of the serialized object?

Thanks for the replies

[vinci]

No, ISerializable can't control the size of your object. It only helps you add your object (which is not serializable) to the entire group of serializables if i may say, so that object may be accessible when you deserialize.

[r035198x]

What is the class type of the object you are serializing and what other classes does it inherit from?

[dantz]

How to know which is not serializable? because on my class(Please see code below)
I tried serializing it and it works. I am not sure if there are any drawbacks if the my defined classes are the kinds of "not serializable object"

public class Player 
{
        private int _playerID;
        private Balance _currentBalance = new Balance();
 
        public int PlayerID
        {
            get { return _playerID; }
            set { _playerID = value; }
        }
        public Balance CurrentBalance
        {
            get { return _currentBalance; }
            set { _currentBalance = value; }
        }
}
 
public class Balance
    {
        private long _currCredit;
        private long _currGamePoint;
        private Penalty _penalty = new Penalty();
 
        public long Credit
        {
            get { return _currCredit; }
            set { _currCredit = value; }
        }
        public long GamePoint
        {
            get { return _currGamePoint; }
            set { _currGamePoint = value; }
        }
        public Penalty Penalty
        {
            get { return _penalty; }
            set { _penalty = value; }
        }
    }
 
public class Penalty
    {
        private bool _isPenalty;
        public bool IsPenalty
        {
            get { return _isPenalty; }
            set { _isPenalty = value; }
        }
    }
 
 

thanks in advance

[r035198x]

Since you haven't marked that class as [serializable], you can only do XML serialization on that class. To be able to to serialize it using the BinaryFormatter you must mark it serializable.
How did you serialize it?

[dantz]

I already marked it as serializable in the VS. I just had that code(w/o Serializable) from my old code.

What would be the difference between [serializable] and [serializable()] ???

And one more thing, you said that i can do xml serialization in the class that I posted, is it possible to make my objects serializable in xml and at the same time in binary? What's the one I read about xml serialization that you still need to identify which will be attributes and elements?


Thanks for the replies.

[vekipeki]

You don't have to worry about your class being "not serializable", you want to implement ISerializable only if you want to customize serialization.

For example, you have a Singleton object (the one and only, static), referenced many times in your class. If you use native serialization (you simply add the [Serializable] attribute), every reference to that Singleton will be serialized as a new object. When deserializing, every reference will point to a new object, meaning that you will get a bunch of new copies of your "Singleton".

To avoid this, you can implement ISerializable for your Singleton class, to ensure that each deserialization of a Singleton object returns the same reference to your static object.

Check MSDN for an example: ISerializable Interface (System.Runtime.Serialization).

[r035198x]

@dantz
All objects are already XML serializable. You need to identify which will be attributes and which will be elements if you don't like the default XML file that is produced for your object.

[PRR]

"when doing serialization, do I really need to inherit from ISerializable?"
No. If a class needs to control its serialization process, it can implement the ISerializable interface.
Any class that might be serialized must be marked with the SerializableAttribute.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.serializableattribute(VS.71).aspx
If you intent to serialize a class that has object of another class you need to add SerializableAttribute to that class as well

[Serializable]
public class A{
public B b;
}
[Serializable]
public class B{}
 

For XML Serialization the class needs to be public... It serializes public fields only XML Serialization in the .NET Framework
You could also use BinaryFormatter http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.formatters.binary.bin aryformatter(VS.71).aspx
Or soap formatter http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.formatters.soap.soapf ormatter(VS.71).aspx

[mcan]

I think I have to expand this question...

So I have a
[Serializible]
public class ExtendedList<MyClass> : List<MyClass>

The ExtendedList class contains 2 extended variables which I don't need to save (I'm not saving to XML, just using the binaryFormatter). So I thought that I somehow just could call the base function

public ExtendedList(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext ctxt): base()

But it seems to me that the data never is fetched (I believe that the data is saved because when I step through the save(serialize) section the MyClass GetObjectData is run.

Does anyone have a solution or tip on this??

//Markus

[mcan]

Ok, found it!

For those who might be interested:

I didn't know that you called the base constructor WITH the parameters!
So just do it like this:

public ExtendedList(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext ctxt): base(info, ctxt)

//Markus

[dantz]

hey, I forgot to thank all of people who replied on my thread.
Thanks for your replies. I understand serialization now and implementing it already. Both the XML and BinaryFormatter have worked for me..thanks..

@Markus

Thanks for the additional info..