SerializationInfo Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Runtime.Serialization

Assembly:

System.Runtime.dll

Stores all the data needed to serialize or deserialize an object. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class SerializationInfo sealed

public sealed class SerializationInfo

type SerializationInfo = class

Public NotInheritable Class SerializationInfo

Inheritance

Object

SerializationInfo

Examples

The following code example demonstrates the SerializationInfo for custom serialization and deserialization of various values.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::Runtime::Serialization::Formatters::Binary;
using namespace System::Runtime::Serialization;

ref class SingletonSerializationHelper;

// There should be only one instance of this type per AppDomain.

[Serializable]
public ref class Singleton sealed: public ISerializable
{
private:

   // This is the one instance of this type.
   static Singleton^ theOneObject = gcnew Singleton;

public:

   // Here are the instance fields.
   String^ someString;
   Int32 someNumber;

private:

   // Private constructor allowing this type to construct the singleton.
   Singleton()
   {
      
      // Do whatever is necessary to initialize the singleton.
      someString = "This is a String* field";
      someNumber = 123;
   }

public:

   // A method returning a reference to the singleton.
   static Singleton^ GetSingleton()
   {
      return theOneObject;
   }

   // A method called when serializing a Singleton.
   [System::Security::Permissions::SecurityPermissionAttribute
   (System::Security::Permissions::SecurityAction::LinkDemand, 
   Flags=System::Security::Permissions::SecurityPermissionFlag::SerializationFormatter)]
   virtual void GetObjectData( SerializationInfo^ info, StreamingContext context )
   {
      // Instead of serializing this Object*, we will  
      // serialize a SingletonSerializationHelp instead.
      info->SetType( SingletonSerializationHelper::typeid );

      // No other values need to be added.
   }

   // NOTE: ISerializable*'s special constructor is NOT necessary 
   // because it's never called
};

[Serializable]
private ref class SingletonSerializationHelper sealed: public IObjectReference
{
public:

   // This Object* has no fields (although it could).
   // GetRealObject is called after this Object* is deserialized
   virtual Object^ GetRealObject( StreamingContext context )
   {
      // When deserialiing this Object*, return a reference to 
      // the singleton Object* instead.
      return Singleton::GetSingleton();
   }
};

[STAThread]
int main()
{
   FileStream^ fs = gcnew FileStream( "DataFile.dat",FileMode::Create );
   try
   {
      // Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it 
      // to serialize the data to the stream.
      BinaryFormatter^ formatter = gcnew BinaryFormatter;

      // Create an array with multiple elements refering to 
      // the one Singleton Object*.
      array<Singleton^>^a1 = {Singleton::GetSingleton(),Singleton::GetSingleton()};

      // This displays S"True".
      Console::WriteLine( "Do both array elements refer to the same Object? {0}", (a1[ 0 ] == a1[ 1 ]) );

      // Serialize the array elements.
      formatter->Serialize( fs, a1 );

      // Deserialize the array elements.
      fs->Position = 0;
      array<Singleton^>^a2 = (array<Singleton^>^)formatter->Deserialize( fs );

      // This displays S"True".
      Console::WriteLine( "Do both array elements refer to the same Object? {0}", (a2[ 0 ] == a2[ 1 ]) );

      // This displays S"True".
      Console::WriteLine( "Do all  array elements refer to the same Object? {0}", (a1[ 0 ] == a2[ 0 ]) );
   }
   catch ( SerializationException^ e ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( "Failed to serialize. Reason: {0}", e->Message );
      throw;
   }
   finally
   {
      fs->Close();
   }

   return 0;
}

using System;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;
// Add references to Soap and Binary formatters.
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Soap ;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;

[Serializable]
public class MyItemType : ISerializable
{
    public MyItemType()
    {
        // Empty constructor required to compile.
    }

    // The value to serialize.
    private string myProperty_value;

    public string MyProperty
    {
        get { return myProperty_value; }
        set { myProperty_value = value; }
    }

    // Implement this method to serialize data. The method is called
    // on serialization.
    public void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
    {
        // Use the AddValue method to specify serialized values.
        info.AddValue("props", myProperty_value, typeof(string));
    }

    // The special constructor is used to deserialize values.
    public MyItemType(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
    {
        // Reset the property value using the GetValue method.
        myProperty_value = (string) info.GetValue("props", typeof(string));
    }
}

// This is a console application.
public static class Test
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // This is the name of the file holding the data. You can use any file extension you like.
        string fileName = "dataStuff.myData";

        // Use a BinaryFormatter or SoapFormatter.
        IFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
        //IFormatter formatter = new SoapFormatter();

        Test.SerializeItem(fileName, formatter); // Serialize an instance of the class.
        Test.DeserializeItem(fileName, formatter); // Deserialize the instance.
        Console.WriteLine("Done");
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

    public static void SerializeItem(string fileName, IFormatter formatter)
    {
        // Create an instance of the type and serialize it.
        MyItemType t = new MyItemType();
        t.MyProperty = "Hello World";

        FileStream s = new FileStream(fileName , FileMode.Create);
        formatter.Serialize(s, t);
        s.Close();
    }

    public static void DeserializeItem(string fileName, IFormatter formatter)
    {
        FileStream s = new FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open);
        MyItemType t = (MyItemType)formatter.Deserialize(s);
        Console.WriteLine(t.MyProperty);
    }
}

Imports System.Text
Imports System.IO

' Add references to Soap and Binary formatters.
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Soap
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization


<Serializable()> _
Public Class MyItemType
    Implements ISerializable
    ' Empty constructor required to compile.
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub

    ' The value to serialize.
    Private myProperty_value As String

    Public Property MyProperty() As String
        Get
            Return myProperty_value
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            myProperty_value = value
        End Set
    End Property

    ' Implement this method to serialize data. The method is called 
    ' on serialization.
    Public Sub GetObjectData(info As SerializationInfo, context As StreamingContext) Implements ISerializable.GetObjectData
        ' Use the AddValue method to specify serialized values.
        info.AddValue("props", myProperty_value, GetType(String))

    End Sub

    ' The special constructor is used to deserialize values.
    Public Sub New(info As SerializationInfo, context As StreamingContext)
        ' Reset the property value using the GetValue method.
        myProperty_value = DirectCast(info.GetValue("props", GetType(String)), String)
    End Sub
End Class

' This is a console application. 
Public Class Test


    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' This is the name of the file holding the data. You can use any file extension you like.
        Dim fileName As String = "dataStuff.myData"

        ' Use a BinaryFormatter or SoapFormatter.
        Dim formatter As IFormatter = New BinaryFormatter()
        ' Dim formatter As IFormatter = New SoapFormatter()

        Test.SerializeItem(fileName, formatter)
        ' Serialize an instance of the class.
        Test.DeserializeItem(fileName, formatter)
        ' Deserialize the instance.
        Console.WriteLine("Done")
        Console.ReadLine()
    End Sub

    Public Shared Sub SerializeItem(fileName As String, formatter As IFormatter)
        ' Create an instance of the type and serialize it.
        Dim myType As New MyItemType()
        myType.MyProperty = "Hello World"

        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)
        formatter.Serialize(fs, myType)
        fs.Close()
    End Sub


    Public Shared Sub DeserializeItem(fileName As String, formatter As IFormatter)
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)

        Dim myType As MyItemType = DirectCast(formatter.Deserialize(fs), MyItemType)
        Console.WriteLine(myType.MyProperty)
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

This class is used by objects with custom serialization behavior. The GetObjectData method on either ISerializable or ISerializationSurrogate populates the SerializationInfo store with the name, type, and value of each piece of information it wants to serialize. During deserialization, the appropriate function can extract this information.

Objects are added to the SerializationInfo store at serialization time using the AddValue methods and extracted from the SerializationInfo store at deserialization using the GetValue methods.

For more information about customizing serialization, see Custom Serialization.

Constructors

SerializationInfo(Type, IFormatterConverter)	Creates a new instance of the SerializationInfo class.
SerializationInfo(Type, IFormatterConverter, Boolean)	Initializes a new instance of the SerializationInfo class.

Properties

AssemblyName	Gets or sets the assembly name of the type to serialize during serialization only.
FullTypeName	Gets or sets the full name of the Type to serialize.
IsAssemblyNameSetExplicit	Gets whether the assembly name has been explicitly set.
IsFullTypeNameSetExplicit	Gets whether the full type name has been explicitly set.
MemberCount	Gets the number of members that have been added to the SerializationInfo store.
ObjectType	Returns the type of the object to be serialized.

Methods

AddValue(String, Boolean)	Adds a Boolean value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Byte)	Adds an 8-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Char)	Adds a Unicode character value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, DateTime)	Adds a DateTime value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Decimal)	Adds a decimal value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Double)	Adds a double-precision floating-point value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Int16)	Adds a 16-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Int32)	Adds a 32-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Int64)	Adds a 64-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Object)	Adds the specified object into the SerializationInfo store, where it is associated with a specified name.
AddValue(String, Object, Type)	Adds a value into the SerializationInfo store, where value is associated with name and is serialized as being of Typetype.
AddValue(String, SByte)	Adds an 8-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, Single)	Adds a single-precision floating-point value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, UInt16)	Adds a 16-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, UInt32)	Adds a 32-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
AddValue(String, UInt64)	Adds a 64-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Equals(Object)	Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object. (Inherited from Object)
GetBoolean(String)	Retrieves a Boolean value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetByte(String)	Retrieves an 8-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetChar(String)	Retrieves a Unicode character value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetDateTime(String)	Retrieves a DateTime value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetDecimal(String)	Retrieves a decimal value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetDouble(String)	Retrieves a double-precision floating-point value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetEnumerator()	Returns a SerializationInfoEnumerator used to iterate through the name-value pairs in the SerializationInfo store.
GetHashCode()	Serves as the default hash function. (Inherited from Object)
GetInt16(String)	Retrieves a 16-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetInt32(String)	Retrieves a 32-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetInt64(String)	Retrieves a 64-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetSByte(String)	Retrieves an 8-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetSingle(String)	Retrieves a single-precision floating-point value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetString(String)	Retrieves a String value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
GetUInt16(String)	Retrieves a 16-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetUInt32(String)	Retrieves a 32-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetUInt64(String)	Retrieves a 64-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
GetValue(String, Type)	Retrieves a value from the SerializationInfo store.
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
SetType(Type)	Sets the Type of the object to serialize.
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

See also

• ISerializable
• XML and SOAP Serialization
• Custom serialization