.NET Framework Class Library
SerializationInfo Class

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

Namespace:  System.Runtime.Serialization
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public NotInheritable Class SerializationInfo
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As SerializationInfo
C#
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public sealed class SerializationInfo
Visual C++
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public ref class SerializationInfo sealed
JScript
public final class SerializationInfo
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.

Examples

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

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Web
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization
Imports System.Security.Permissions


' There should be only one instance of this type per AppDomain.
<Serializable()> _
Public NotInheritable Class Singleton
   Implements ISerializable

   ' This is the one instance of this type.
   Private Shared ReadOnly theOneObject As New Singleton

   ' Here are the instance fields.
   Public someString As String
   Public someNumber As Int32

   ' Private constructor allowing this type to construct the Singleton.
   Private Sub New()
      ' Do whatever is necessary to initialize the Singleton.
      someString = "This is a string field"
      someNumber = 123
   End Sub

   ' A method returning a reference to the Singleton.
   Public Shared Function GetSingleton() As Singleton
      Return theOneObject
   End Function

   ' A method called when serializing a Singleton.
   <SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.LinkDemand, _
   Flags:=SecurityPermissionFlag.SerializationFormatter)> _
   Private Sub GetObjectData(ByVal info As SerializationInfo, _
      ByVal context As StreamingContext) _
      Implements ISerializable.GetObjectData

      ' Instead of serializing this object, we will  
      ' serialize a SingletonSerializationHelp instead.
      info.SetType(GetType(SingletonSerializationHelper))
      ' No other values need to be added.
   End Sub

   ' Note: ISerializable's special constructor is not necessary 
   ' because it is never called.
End Class


<Serializable()> _
Friend NotInheritable Class SingletonSerializationHelper
   Implements IObjectReference
   ' This object has no fields (although it could).

   ' GetRealObject is called after this object is deserialized.
   Public Function GetRealObject(ByVal context As StreamingContext) As Object Implements IObjectReference.GetRealObject
      ' When deserialiing this object, return a reference to 
      ' the Singleton object instead.
      Return Singleton.GetSingleton()
   End Function
End Class


Class App
   <STAThread()> Shared Sub Main()
        Run()
    End Sub

    Shared Sub Run()
        Dim fs As New FileStream("DataFile.dat", FileMode.Create)

        Try
            ' Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it 
            ' to serialize the data to the stream.
            Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter

            ' Create an array with multiple elements refering to 
            ' the one Singleton object.
            Dim a1() As Singleton = {Singleton.GetSingleton(), Singleton.GetSingleton()}

            ' This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine("Do both array elements refer to the same object? " & _
               Object.ReferenceEquals(a1(0), a1(1)))

            ' Serialize the array elements.
            formatter.Serialize(fs, a1)

            ' Deserialize the array elements.
            fs.Position = 0
            Dim a2() As Singleton = DirectCast(formatter.Deserialize(fs), Singleton())

            ' This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine("Do both array elements refer to the same object? " & _
               Object.ReferenceEquals(a2(0), a2(1)))

            ' This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine("Do all array elements refer to the same object? " & _
               Object.ReferenceEquals(a1(0), a2(0)))
        Catch e As SerializationException
            Console.WriteLine("Failed to serialize. Reason: " & e.Message)
            Throw
        Finally
            fs.Close()
        End Try

    End Sub
End Class
C#
using System;
using System.Web;
using System.IO;
using System.Collections;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.Security.Permissions;


// There should be only one instance of this type per AppDomain.
[Serializable]
public sealed class Singleton : ISerializable 
{
    // This is the one instance of this type.
    private static readonly Singleton theOneObject = new Singleton();

    // Here are the instance fields.
    private string someString_value;
    private Int32 someNumber_value;

   public string SomeString
   {
       get{return someString_value;}
       set{someString_value = value;}
   }

   public Int32 SomeNumber
   {
       get{return someNumber_value;}
       set{someNumber_value = value;}
   }

    // Private constructor allowing this type to construct the Singleton.
    private Singleton() 
    { 
        // Do whatever is necessary to initialize the Singleton.
        someString_value = "This is a string field";
        someNumber_value = 123;
    }

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

    // A method called when serializing a Singleton.
    [SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.LinkDemand, 
    Flags=SecurityPermissionFlag.SerializationFormatter)]
    void ISerializable.GetObjectData(
        SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context) 
    {
        // Instead of serializing this object, 
        // serialize a SingletonSerializationHelp instead.
        info.SetType(typeof(SingletonSerializationHelper));
        // No other values need to be added.
    }

    // Note: ISerializable's special constructor is not necessary 
    // because it is never called.
}


[Serializable]
internal sealed class SingletonSerializationHelper : IObjectReference 
{
    // This object has no fields (although it could).

    // GetRealObject is called after this object is deserialized.
    public Object GetRealObject(StreamingContext context) 
    {
        // When deserialiing this object, return a reference to 
        // the Singleton object instead.
        return Singleton.GetSingleton();
    }
}


class App 
{
    [STAThread]
    static void Main() 
    {
        FileStream fs = new FileStream("DataFile.dat", FileMode.Create);

        try 
        {
            // Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it 
            // to serialize the data to the stream.
            BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();

            // Create an array with multiple elements refering to 
            // the one Singleton object.
            Singleton[] a1 = { Singleton.GetSingleton(), Singleton.GetSingleton() };

            // This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine(
                "Do both array elements refer to the same object? " + 
                (a1[0] == a1[1]));     

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

            // Deserialize the array elements.
            fs.Position = 0;
            Singleton[] a2 = (Singleton[]) formatter.Deserialize(fs);

            // This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine("Do both array elements refer to the same object? " 
                + (a2[0] == a2[1])); 

            // This displays "True".
            Console.WriteLine("Do all array elements refer to the same object? " 
                + (a1[0] == a2[0]));
        }   
        catch (SerializationException e) 
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Failed to serialize. Reason: " + e.Message);
            throw;
        }
        finally 
        {
            fs.Close();
        }
    }
}
Visual C++
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;
}
CPP_OLD
#using <mscorlib.dll>
#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Web.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Web;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::Runtime::Serialization::Formatters::Binary;
using namespace System::Runtime::Serialization;
using namespace System::Security::Permissions;


private __sealed __gc class SingletonSerializationHelper;

// There should be only one instance of this type per AppDomain.
[Serializable]
[AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction::LinkDemand, 
    Level=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel::Minimal)]
public __gc __sealed class Singleton : public ISerializable 
{
    // This is the one instance of this type.
private:
    static Singleton* theOneObject = new Singleton();

    // Here are the instance fields.
public:
    String* someString;
    Int32 someNumber;

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

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

    // A method called when serializing a Singleton.
    void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo* info, StreamingContext context) 
    {
        // Instead of serializing this Object*, we will  
        // serialize a SingletonSerializationHelp instead.
        info->SetType(__typeof(SingletonSerializationHelper));
        // No other values need to be added.
    }

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

[Serializable]
[AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction::LinkDemand, 
   Level=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel::Minimal)]
private __gc __sealed class SingletonSerializationHelper : public IObjectReference 
    {
        // This Object* has no fields (although it could).
        // GetRealObject is called after this Object* is deserialized
    public:
        Object* GetRealObject(StreamingContext context) 
        {
            // When deserialiing this Object*, return a reference to 
            // the singleton Object* instead.
            return Singleton::GetSingleton();
        }
    };

[STAThread]
int main() 
{
    FileStream* fs = new FileStream(S"DataFile.dat", FileMode::Create);

    try 
    {
        // Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it 
        // to serialize the data to the stream.
        BinaryFormatter* formatter = new BinaryFormatter();

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

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

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

        // Deserialize the array elements.
        fs->Position = 0;
        Singleton* a2[] = (Singleton* __gc[]) formatter->Deserialize(fs);

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

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

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
  System.Runtime.Serialization..::.SerializationInfo
Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
See Also

Reference

Other Resources

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