C# XML serialization error

Question

I have an XML dox like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Server Manufacturer="SQL" Version="1">
  <Database Name="Test123" >
    <Devices>
      <Device Name="Testdata" ..../>
      <Device Name="Testlog" ..../>
    </Devices>
  </Database>
</Server>

I want to deserialize it like this: var database = (Database)xmlSerializer.Deserialize(new StreamReader(xmlFilePath));

where Database is a Class with a collection of Devices.

It works fine when I comment out the Server tags in the XML file but i don't want to. I get an error saying "There is an error in XMl document line (1, 4)"

How can I tell the serialize to ignore the server tag and do I need to put a namespace in the XML file?

I tried putting [XmlRootAttribute("Database")] on the Database object but I still get the same error

did you try to remove the encoding attribute ? (it's not a solution, just something to test). Here I think you'll have to deserialize a Server and then get your DataBase object. — remi bourgarel
– remi bourgarel, Commented Oct 14, 2010 at 8:44

prostynick · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-14 09:23:16Z

1

If you really don't want to create Server class just remove <Server/> "wrapper" from loaded xml.

For example, instead of this:

(Database)xmlSerializer.Deserialize(
    new StreamReader(xmlFilePath));

do this:

(Database)xmlSerializer.Deserialize(
    XElement.Load(xmlFilePath).Element("Database").CreateReader());

answered Oct 14, 2010 at 9:23

prostynick

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Comments

Eugene Cheverda · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-14 08:47:58Z

0

You should deserialize Server class which will look like:

public class Server
{
    public string Manufacturer{get;set;}
    public int Version {get;set;}
    public Database Database {get;set;}
}

Then deserialize:

var server = (Server)xmlSerializer.Deserialize(new StreamReader(xmlFilePath));
var database = server.Database;

answered Oct 14, 2010 at 8:47

Eugene Cheverda

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3 Comments

Bob Over a year ago

Is this my only option? I have no need for a Server object in my code. Is there no way of telling the serializer to ignore that tag?

jmservera Over a year ago

@Bob: You can step over the Server tag by reading the document and getting its child nodes: XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument(); doc.Load(xmlFilePath); Console.WriteLine( doc.ChildNodes[1].InnerXml); // child 0 is <? xml...

Eugene Cheverda Over a year ago

You can remove Server tag from xml at runtime while opening/reading xml file if you don't want to create Server class in code.

RameshVel · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-14 08:48:54Z

0

I believe your XmlRootAttribute is the problem, add Server as XmlRootAttribute .. below the sample code

[Serializable]
[XmlRootAttribute("Server", Namespace = "", IsNullable = false)]    
public class YourClass
{
    public YourClass()
    {

    }
    [XmlAttribute]
    public string Manufacturer { get; set; }
   ....

}

and deserialize the server not database

answered Oct 14, 2010 at 8:48

RameshVel

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1 Comment

Bob Over a year ago

Thanks. So that's my only option? I have to deserialize the Server object ... there's no way of telling the serializer to ignore this element?

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