XmlArrayItemAttribute Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Xml.Serialization

Assembly:

System.Xml.XmlSerializer.dll

Source:

XmlArrayItemAttribute.cs

Represents an attribute that specifies the derived types that the XmlSerializer can place in a serialized array.

public ref class XmlArrayItemAttribute : Attribute

[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Parameter | System.AttributeTargets.Property | System.AttributeTargets.ReturnValue, AllowMultiple=true)]
public class XmlArrayItemAttribute : Attribute

[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Field | System.AttributeTargets.Parameter | System.AttributeTargets.Property | System.AttributeTargets.ReturnValue, AllowMultiple=true)>]
type XmlArrayItemAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute

Public Class XmlArrayItemAttribute
Inherits Attribute

Inheritance

Object

Attribute

XmlArrayItemAttribute

Attributes

AttributeUsageAttribute

Examples

The following example serializes a class named Group that contains a field named Employees that returns an array of Employee objects. The example applies the XmlArrayItemAttribute to the field, thereby instructing the XmlSerializer that it can insert objects of both the base class (Employee) type and derived class type (Manager) into the serialized array.

#using <System.Xml.dll>
#using <System.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Xml::Serialization;

public ref class Employee
{
public:
   String^ Name;
};

public ref class Manager: public Employee
{
public:
   int Level;
};

public ref class Group
{
public:

   /* The XmlArrayItemAttribute allows the XmlSerializer to insert
      both the base type (Employee) and derived type (Manager) 
      into serialized arrays. */

   [XmlArrayItem(Manager::typeid),
   XmlArrayItem(Employee::typeid)]
   array<Employee^>^Employees;

   /* Use the XmlArrayItemAttribute to specify types allowed
      in an array of Object items. */

   [XmlArray]
   [XmlArrayItem(Int32::typeid,
   ElementName="MyNumber"),
   XmlArrayItem(String::typeid,
   ElementName="MyString"),
   XmlArrayItem(Manager::typeid)]
   array<Object^>^ExtraInfo;
};

void SerializeObject( String^ filename )
{
   // Creates a new XmlSerializer.
   XmlSerializer^ s = gcnew XmlSerializer( Group::typeid );

   // Writing the XML file to disk requires a TextWriter.
   TextWriter^ writer = gcnew StreamWriter( filename );
   Group^ group = gcnew Group;
   Manager^ manager = gcnew Manager;
   Employee^ emp1 = gcnew Employee;
   Employee^ emp2 = gcnew Employee;
   manager->Name = "Consuela";
   manager->Level = 3;
   emp1->Name = "Seiko";
   emp2->Name = "Martina";
   array<Employee^>^emps = {manager,emp1,emp2};
   group->Employees = emps;

   // Creates an int and a string and assigns to ExtraInfo.
   array<Object^>^temp = {43,"Extra",manager};
   group->ExtraInfo = temp;

   // Serializes the object, and closes the StreamWriter.
   s->Serialize( writer, group );
   writer->Close();
}

void DeserializeObject( String^ filename )
{
   FileStream^ fs = gcnew FileStream( filename,FileMode::Open );
   XmlSerializer^ x = gcnew XmlSerializer( Group::typeid );
   Group^ g = dynamic_cast<Group^>(x->Deserialize( fs ));
   Console::WriteLine( "Members:" );
   System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = g->Employees->GetEnumerator();
   while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
   {
      Employee^ e = safe_cast<Employee^>(myEnum->Current);
      Console::WriteLine( "\t{0}", e->Name );
   }
}

int main()
{
   SerializeObject( "TypeDoc.xml" );
   DeserializeObject( "TypeDoc.xml" );
}

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

public class Group
{
   /* The XmlArrayItemAttribute allows the XmlSerializer to insert
      both the base type (Employee) and derived type (Manager)
      into serialized arrays. */

   [XmlArrayItem(typeof(Manager)),
   XmlArrayItem(typeof(Employee))]
   public Employee[] Employees;

   /* Use the XmlArrayItemAttribute to specify types allowed
      in an array of Object items. */
   [XmlArray]
   [XmlArrayItem (typeof(int),
   ElementName = "MyNumber"),
   XmlArrayItem (typeof(string),
   ElementName = "MyString"),
   XmlArrayItem(typeof(Manager))]
   public object [] ExtraInfo;
}

public class Employee
{
   public string Name;
}

public class Manager:Employee{
   public int Level;
}

public class Run
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      Run test = new Run();
      test.SerializeObject("TypeDoc.xml");
      test.DeserializeObject("TypeDoc.xml");
   }

   public void SerializeObject(string filename)
   {
      // Creates a new XmlSerializer.
      XmlSerializer s = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Group));

      // Writing the XML file to disk requires a TextWriter.
      TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter(filename);
      Group group = new Group();

      Manager manager = new Manager();
      Employee emp1 = new Employee();
      Employee emp2 = new Employee();
      manager.Name = "Consuela";
      manager.Level = 3;
      emp1.Name = "Seiko";
      emp2.Name = "Martina";
      Employee [] emps = new Employee[3]{manager, emp1, emp2};
      group.Employees = emps;

      // Creates an int and a string and assigns to ExtraInfo.
      group.ExtraInfo = new Object[3]{43, "Extra", manager};

      // Serializes the object, and closes the StreamWriter.
      s.Serialize(writer, group);
      writer.Close();
   }

   public void DeserializeObject(string filename)
   {
      FileStream fs = new FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open);
      XmlSerializer x = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Group));
      Group g = (Group) x.Deserialize(fs);
      Console.WriteLine("Members:");

      foreach(Employee e in g.Employees)
      {
         Console.WriteLine("\t" + e.Name);
      }
   }
}

Option Explicit
Option Strict

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Xml.Serialization

Public Class Group
    ' The XmlArrayItemAttribute allows the XmlSerializer to insert
    ' both the base type (Employee) and derived type (Manager)
    ' into serialized arrays. 
    
    <XmlArrayItem(GetType(Manager)), _
     XmlArrayItem(GetType(Employee))> _
    Public Employees() As Employee
    
    ' Use the XmlArrayItemAttribute to specify types allowed
    ' in an array of Object items. 
    <XmlArray(), _
     XmlArrayItem(GetType(Integer), ElementName := "MyNumber"), _
     XmlArrayItem(GetType(String), ElementName := "MyString"), _
     XmlArrayItem(GetType(Manager))> _
    Public ExtraInfo() As Object
End Class

Public Class Employee
    Public Name As String
End Class

Public Class Manager
    Inherits Employee
    Public Level As Integer
End Class


Public Class Run
    
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim test As New Run()
        test.SerializeObject("TypeDoc.xml")
        test.DeserializeObject("TypeDoc.xml")
    End Sub
    
       
    Public Sub SerializeObject(ByVal filename As String)
        ' Creates a new XmlSerializer.
        Dim s As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Group))
        
        ' Writing the XML file to disk requires a TextWriter.
        Dim writer As New StreamWriter(filename)
        Dim group As New Group()
        
        Dim manager As New Manager()
        Dim emp1 As New Employee()
        Dim emp2 As New Employee()
        manager.Name = "Consuela"
        manager.Level = 3
        emp1.Name = "Seiko"
        emp2.Name = "Martina"
        Dim emps() As Employee = {manager, emp1, emp2}
        group.Employees = emps
        
        ' Creates an int and a string and assigns to ExtraInfo.
        group.ExtraInfo = New Object() {43, "Extra", manager}
        
        ' Serializes the object, and closes the StreamWriter.
        s.Serialize(writer, group)
        writer.Close()
    End Sub
    
    
    Public Sub DeserializeObject(ByVal filename As String)
        Dim fs As New FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open)
        Dim x As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Group))
        Dim g As Group = CType(x.Deserialize(fs), Group)
        Console.WriteLine("Members:")
        
        Dim e As Employee
        For Each e In  g.Employees
            Console.WriteLine(ControlChars.Tab & e.Name)
        Next e
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

The XmlArrayItemAttribute belongs to a family of attributes that controls how the XmlSerializer serializes or deserializes an object. For a complete list of similar attributes, see Attributes That Control XML Serialization.

You can apply the XmlArrayItemAttribute to any public read/write member that returns an array, or provides access to one. For example, a field that returns an array of objects, a collection, an ArrayList, or any class that implements the IEnumerable interface.

The XmlArrayItemAttribute supports polymorphism--in other words, it allows the XmlSerializer to add derived objects to an array. For example, suppose a class named Mammal is derived from a base class named Animal. Further suppose that a class named MyAnimals contains a field that returns an array of Animal objects. To allow the XmlSerializer to serialize both the Animal and Mammal type, apply the XmlArrayItemAttribute to the field twice, each time specifying one of the two acceptable types.

Note

You can apply multiple instances of the XmlArrayItemAttribute or XmlElementAttribute to specify types of objects that can be inserted into the array.

Note

The serialization of a field or property that returns an interface or array of interfaces is not supported.

For more information about using attributes, see Attributes.

Note

You can use the word XmlArrayItem in your code instead of the longer XmlArrayItemAttribute.

Constructors

XmlArrayItemAttribute()	Initializes a new instance of the XmlArrayItemAttribute class.
XmlArrayItemAttribute(String)	Initializes a new instance of the XmlArrayItemAttribute class and specifies the name of the XML element generated in the XML document.
XmlArrayItemAttribute(String, Type)	Initializes a new instance of the XmlArrayItemAttribute class and specifies the name of the XML element generated in the XML document and the Type that can be inserted into the generated XML document.
XmlArrayItemAttribute(Type)	Initializes a new instance of the XmlArrayItemAttribute class and specifies the Type that can be inserted into the serialized array.

Properties

DataType	Gets or sets the XML data type of the generated XML element.
ElementName	Gets or sets the name of the generated XML element.
Form	Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the name of the generated XML element is qualified.
IsNullable	Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the XmlSerializer must serialize a member as an empty XML tag with the xsi:nil attribute set to true.
Namespace	Gets or sets the namespace of the generated XML element.
NestingLevel	Gets or sets the level in a hierarchy of XML elements that the XmlArrayItemAttribute affects.
Type	Gets or sets the type allowed in an array.
TypeId	When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute. (Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)	Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()	Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()	When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)	When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
ToString()	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object)

See also

• XmlArrayAttribute
• XmlSerializer
• XmlArrayItems
• XmlAttributeOverrides
• XmlAttributes
• Introducing XML Serialization
• How to: Specify an Alternate Element Name for an XML Stream
• Controlling XML Serialization Using Attributes
• Examples of XML Serialization
• XML Schema Definition Tool (Xsd.exe)