Serialize C# objects of unknown type to bytes using generics

Question

Usage example

var qm = new QueueMessage("foo", 99);
var ba = ByteArraySerializer<QueueMessage>.Serialize(qm));

Class that performs the serialization / deserialization

using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

namespace Codingoutloud
{
   public static class ByteArraySerializer<T>
   {
      public static byte[] Serialize(T m)
      {
         var ms = new MemoryStream();
         try
         {
            var formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
            formatter.Serialize(ms, m);
            return ms.ToArray();
         }
         finally
         {
            ms.Close();
         }
      }

      public static T Deserialize(byte[] byteArray)
      {
         var ms = new MemoryStream(byteArray);
         try
         {
            var formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
            return (T)formatter.Deserialize(ms);
         }
         finally
         {
            ms.Close();
         }
      }
   }
}

Example of an object we would serialize

using System;

namespace Codingoutloud
{
   [Serializable]
   public class QueueMessage
   {
      public QueueMessage() {}
      public QueueMessage(string name, int id)
      {
         Name = name;
         Id = id;
      }

      public string Name { get;  set; }
      public int Id { get; set; }
   }
}

It should be noted that this only (de)serializes serializable objects, so it won't necessarily work for any arbitrary unknown object. — Jeff Mercado
– Jeff Mercado, Commented Jan 11, 2012 at 18:43
Good point Jeff! Will work for unknown types as long as they are serializable. — codingoutloud
– codingoutloud, Commented Jan 12, 2012 at 15:31

Jesse C. Slicer · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-11 17:13:31Z

12

Your methodology is solid on the generics front. Highly recommend using using statements rather than try..finallys. I also converted the methods to extension methods.

namespace Codingoutloud
{
   using System.IO;
   using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

   public static class ByteArraySerializer
   {
      public static byte[] Serialize<T>(this T m)
      {
         using (var ms = new MemoryStream())
         {
            new BinaryFormatter().Serialize(ms, m);
            return ms.ToArray();
         }
      }

      public static T Deserialize<T>(this byte[] byteArray)
      {
         using (var ms = new MemoryStream(byteArray))
         {
            return (T)new BinaryFormatter().Deserialize(ms);
         }
      }
   }
}

edited Jan 11, 2012 at 17:13

answered Jan 11, 2012 at 16:55

Jesse C. Slicer

14.6k1 gold badge40 silver badges54 bronze badges

\$\begingroup\$ Great edits @Jesse C. Slicer - thanks - esp the asymmetric types on the extension methods. \$\endgroup\$

codingoutloud
– codingoutloud

2012-01-12 16:39:07 +00:00
Commented Jan 12, 2012 at 16:39

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Leith · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-11 04:15:42Z

3

It's possible to serialize "unserializable" types via reflection, including private unserialized members and properties, though its a pain to deal with arbitrary type, you can certainly deal with all the common types easily, and provide for delegates to serialize/deserialize custom types. The main thing for dealing with "unknown" types is to find out if they support a Set method - if not, you can't deserialize them, so no point to serialize them.

answered Oct 11, 2018 at 4:15

Leith

311 bronze badge

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James Khoury · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-19 04:37:22Z

2

You should make sure that the object is Serializable.

A type that is serializable will return true for:

m.GetType().IsSerializable

edited Jan 19, 2012 at 4:37

James Khoury

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answered Jan 16, 2012 at 23:45

odeits

211 bronze badge

\$\begingroup\$ thank you - good comment. I think that could be enforced with a Diagnostics.Debug.Assert or a CodeContract (from .NET 4). \$\endgroup\$

codingoutloud
– codingoutloud

2012-02-04 23:42:55 +00:00
Commented Feb 4, 2012 at 23:42

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