XMLSerializer

[Phil Galey]

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.

The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.

Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties? Thanks.

[Martin Honnen]

Phil Galey wrote:

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.

The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.

Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties?

I think the difference is that Integer and Boolean are value types while
String is a reference type that you can set to Nothing (or null for C#).

What you can do is use Nullable types in .NET 2.0 but then if the
property is null (or Nothing) the serializer will serialize as e.g.
<Property-name xsi:nil="true" />
so the XML will not have any value but rather the special xsi:nil
attribute with value true to indicate the value is nil (which is the XSD
equivalent of null or Nothing).
--

Martin Honnen --- MVP XML
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

[kferron]

Can't you just set the defaultvalueatt ribute to the appropiate value?


Phil Galey wrote:

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.

The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.

Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties? Thanks.

[kferron]

Can't you just set the defaultvalueatt ribute to the appropiate value?


Phil Galey wrote:

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.

The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.

Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties? Thanks.

[Phil Galey]

Yes, you're right.
Imports System.Componen tModel
and
<DefaultValue(< default value>)Public ....

does the trick. Thanks for your help.

Phillip
"kferron" <ke**********@g mail.comwrote in message news:11******** **************@ b28g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .

Can't you just set the defaultvalueatt ribute to the appropiate value?


Phil Galey wrote:

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.

The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.

Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties? Thanks.

[kferron]

cool yeah, i forgot to mention it wasn't in the serialization
namespace.. its kinda hidden, makes me think they should have made an
alias derivation just so you could see it as a serialization option, if
youre like those of use intellisense to see quickly the options we have
available to us.. anyway, cheers.. one note is i've found that it is
helpful to make sure i'm also initializing the values of the type as
well.. it may make sense to use consts if you're a member of that 'only
hardcode in one place' school of thought.
~kcf

Phil Galey wrote:

Yes, you're right.
Imports System.Componen tModel
and
<DefaultValue(< default value>)Public ....

does the trick. Thanks for your help.

Phillip
"kferron" <ke**********@g mail.comwrote in message news:11******** **************@ b28g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .

Can't you just set the defaultvalueatt ribute to the appropiate value?


Phil Galey wrote:

I'm using XMLSerializer to serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and
their content to XML. There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that
are optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the
object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination system
already knows the default values for those fields.
>
The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with String
properties by setting them equal to nothing in the definition, this method
doesn't work for other property types, such as Integer and Boolean. If I
set Integer and Boolean properties to nothing in the definition, they are
still serialized to XML, as 0 and False respectively. If I want those
fields to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced
to replace those properties with String properties.
>
Is there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties? Thanks.

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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yes, you're right.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT color=#000080>I mports
System.Componen tModel</FONT><BR>and<BR ><FONT
color=#000080>& lt;DefaultValue (&lt;default value&gt;)&gt; Public
....</FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>does the trick.&nbsp; Thanks for your
help.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Phillip</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"kferron " &lt;</FONT><A
href="mailto:ke **********@gmai l.com"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>ke****** ****@gmail.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>&gt; wrote in
message </FONT><A
href="news:11** *************** *****@b28g2000c wb.googlegroups .com"><FONT
face=Arial
size=2>news:11* *************** ******@b28g2000 cwb.googlegroup s.com</FONT></A><FONT
face=Arial size=2>...</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&gt; Can't you just
set the defaultvalueatt ribute to the appropiate value?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;
<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Phil Galey wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; I'm using XMLSerializer to
serialize hierarchical Class-based objects and<BR>&gt; &gt; their content to
XML.&nbsp; There are a number of fields (i.e. properties) that<BR>&gt; &gt; are
optional, meaning that if no data id written to that property of the<BR>&gt;
&gt; object, then no entry is to appear in the XML, as the destination
system<BR>&gt; &gt; already knows the default values for those fields.<BR>&gt;
&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; The issue I'm having is that although this is easy to do with
String<BR>&gt; &gt; properties by setting them equal to nothing in the
definition, this method<BR>&gt; &gt; doesn't work for other property types, such
as Integer and Boolean.&nbsp; If I<BR>&gt; &gt; set Integer and Boolean
properties to nothing in the definition, they are<BR>&gt; &gt; still serialized
to XML, as 0 and False respectively.&n bsp; If I want those<BR>&gt; &gt; fields
to default to not appear in the XML by default, I seem to be forced<BR>&gt; &gt;
to replace those properties with String properties.<BR> &gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Is
there any way to do this with Integer and Boolean properties?&nbs p;
Thanks.<BR>&gt; </FONT></BODY></HTML>

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