System.Xml.Serialization Na ...


.NET Framework Class Library
XmlAttributeOverrides Class

Allows you to override property, field, and class attributes when you use the XmlSerializer to serialize or deserialize an object.

Namespace:  System.Xml.Serialization
Assembly:  System.Xml (in System.Xml.dll)
Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Class XmlAttributeOverrides
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As XmlAttributeOverrides
C#
public class XmlAttributeOverrides
Visual C++
public ref class XmlAttributeOverrides
JScript
public class XmlAttributeOverrides
Remarks

The XmlAttributeOverrides enables the XmlSerializer to override the default way of serializing a set of objects. Overriding serialization in this way has two uses: first, you can control and augment the serialization of objects found in a DLL--even if you do not have access to the source; second, you can create one set of serializable classes, but serialize the objects in multiple ways. For example, instead of serializing members of a class instance as XML elements, you can serialize them as XML attributes, resulting in a more efficient document to transport.

After you create an XmlAttributeOverrides object, you pass it as an argument to the XmlSerializer constructor. The resulting XmlSerializer uses the data contained by the XmlAttributeOverrides to override attributes that control how objects are serialized. To accomplish this, the XmlAttributeOverrides contains a collection of the object types that are overridden, as well as an XmlAttributes object associated with each overridden object type. The XmlAttributes object itself contains an appropriate set of attribute objects that control how each field, property, or class is serialized.

The process for creating and using an XmlAttributeOverrides object is as follows:

  1. Create an XmlAttributes object.

  2. Create an attribute object that is appropriate to the object being overridden. For example, to override a field or property, create an XmlElementAttribute, using the new, derived type. You can optionally assign a new ElementName, or Namespace that overrides the base class's attribute name or namespace.

  3. Add the attribute object to the appropriate XmlAttributes property or collection. For example, you would add the XmlElementAttribute to the XmlElements collection of the XmlAttributes object, specifying the member name that is being overridden.

  4. Create an XmlAttributeOverrides object.

  5. Using the Add method, add the XmlAttributes object to the XmlAttributeOverrides object. If the object being overridden is an XmlRootAttribute or XmlTypeAttribute, you need only to specify the type of the overridden object. But if you are overriding a field or property, you must also specify the name of the overridden member.

  6. When constructing the XmlSerializer, pass the XmlAttributeOverrides to the XmlSerializer constructor.

  7. Use the resulting XmlSerializer to serialize or deserialize the derived class objects.

Examples

The following example serializes a class named Orchestra, which contains a single field named Instruments that returns an array of Instrument objects. A second class named Brass inherits from the Instrument class. The example uses an instance of the XmlAttributeOverrides class to override the Instrument field, allowing the field to accept Brass objects.

Visual Basic
Option Explicit
Option Strict

Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Xml.Serialization
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic


Public Class Orchestra
    Public Instruments() As Instrument
End Class

Public Class Instrument
    Public Name As String
End Class

Public Class Brass
    Inherits Instrument
    Public IsValved As Boolean
End Class

Public Class Run

    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim test As New Run()
        test.SerializeObject("Override.xml")
        test.DeserializeObject("Override.xml")
    End Sub

    Public Sub SerializeObject(ByVal filename As String)
        ' Each overridden field, property, or type requires
        ' an XmlAttributes object. 
        Dim attrs As New XmlAttributes()

        ' Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the
        ' field that returns Instrument objects. The overridden field
        ' returns Brass objects instead. 
        Dim attr As New XmlElementAttribute()
        attr.ElementName = "Brass"
        attr.Type = GetType(Brass)

        ' Add the element to the collection of elements.
        attrs.XmlElements.Add(attr)

        ' Create the XmlAttributeOverrides object.
        Dim attrOverrides As New XmlAttributeOverrides()

        ' Add the type of the class that contains the overridden
        ' member and the XmlAttributes to override it with to the
        ' XmlAttributeOverrides object. 
        attrOverrides.Add(GetType(Orchestra), "Instruments", attrs)

        ' Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
        Dim s As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Orchestra), attrOverrides)

        ' Writing the file requires a TextWriter.
        Dim writer As New StreamWriter(filename)

        ' Create the object that will be serialized.
        Dim band As New Orchestra()

        ' Create an object of the derived type.
        Dim i As New Brass()
        i.Name = "Trumpet"
        i.IsValved = True
        Dim myInstruments() As Instrument = {i}
        band.Instruments = myInstruments

        ' Serialize the object.
        s.Serialize(writer, band)
        writer.Close()
    End Sub    

    Public Sub DeserializeObject(filename As String)
        Dim attrOverrides As New XmlAttributeOverrides()
        Dim attrs As New XmlAttributes()

        ' Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the Instrument.
        Dim attr As New XmlElementAttribute()
        attr.ElementName = "Brass"
        attr.Type = GetType(Brass)

        ' Add the XmlElementAttribute to the collection of objects.
        attrs.XmlElements.Add(attr)

        attrOverrides.Add(GetType(Orchestra), "Instruments", attrs)

        ' Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
        Dim s As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Orchestra), attrOverrides)

        Dim fs As New FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open)
        Dim band As Orchestra = CType(s.Deserialize(fs), Orchestra)
        Console.WriteLine("Brass:")

        ' The difference between deserializing the overridden
        ' XML document and serializing it is this: To read the derived
        ' object values, you must declare an object of the derived type
        ' (Brass), and cast the Instrument instance to it. 
        Dim b As Brass
        Dim i As Instrument
        For Each i In  band.Instruments
            b = CType(i, Brass)
            Console.WriteLine(b.Name & ControlChars.Cr & b.IsValved)
        Next i
    End Sub
End Class

C#
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

public class Orchestra
{
   public Instrument[] Instruments;
}   

public class Instrument
{
   public string Name;
}

public class Brass:Instrument
{
   public bool IsValved;
}

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

    public void SerializeObject(string filename)
    {
      /* Each overridden field, property, or type requires 
      an XmlAttributes object. */
      XmlAttributes attrs = new XmlAttributes();

      /* Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the 
      field that returns Instrument objects. The overridden field
      returns Brass objects instead. */
      XmlElementAttribute attr = new XmlElementAttribute();
      attr.ElementName = "Brass";
      attr.Type = typeof(Brass);

      // Add the element to the collection of elements.
      attrs.XmlElements.Add(attr);

      // Create the XmlAttributeOverrides object.
      XmlAttributeOverrides attrOverrides = new XmlAttributeOverrides();

      /* Add the type of the class that contains the overridden 
      member and the XmlAttributes to override it with to the 
      XmlAttributeOverrides object. */
      attrOverrides.Add(typeof(Orchestra), "Instruments", attrs);

      // Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
      XmlSerializer s = 
      new XmlSerializer(typeof(Orchestra), attrOverrides);

      // Writing the file requires a TextWriter.
      TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter(filename);

      // Create the object that will be serialized.
      Orchestra band = new Orchestra();

      // Create an object of the derived type.
      Brass i = new Brass();
      i.Name = "Trumpet";
      i.IsValved = true;
      Instrument[] myInstruments = {i};
      band.Instruments = myInstruments;

      // Serialize the object.
      s.Serialize(writer,band);
      writer.Close();
   }

   public void DeserializeObject(string filename)
   {
      XmlAttributeOverrides attrOverrides = 
         new XmlAttributeOverrides();
      XmlAttributes attrs = new XmlAttributes();

      // Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the Instrument.
      XmlElementAttribute attr = new XmlElementAttribute();
      attr.ElementName = "Brass";
      attr.Type = typeof(Brass);

      // Add the XmlElementAttribute to the collection of objects.
      attrs.XmlElements.Add(attr);

      attrOverrides.Add(typeof(Orchestra), "Instruments", attrs);

      // Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
      XmlSerializer s = 
      new XmlSerializer(typeof(Orchestra), attrOverrides);

      FileStream fs = new FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open);
      Orchestra band = (Orchestra) s.Deserialize(fs);
      Console.WriteLine("Brass:");

      /* The difference between deserializing the overridden 
      XML document and serializing it is this: To read the derived 
      object values, you must declare an object of the derived type 
      (Brass), and cast the Instrument instance to it. */
      Brass b;
      foreach(Instrument i in band.Instruments) 
      {
         b = (Brass)i;
         Console.WriteLine(
         b.Name + "\n" + 
         b.IsValved);
      }
   }
}

Visual C++
#using <System.Xml.dll>
#using <System.dll>

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

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

public ref class Brass: public Instrument
{
public:
   bool IsValved;
};

public ref class Orchestra
{
public:
   array<Instrument^>^Instruments;
};

void SerializeObject( String^ filename )
{
   /* Each overridden field, property, or type requires 
      an XmlAttributes object. */
   XmlAttributes^ attrs = gcnew XmlAttributes;

   /* Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the 
      field that returns Instrument objects. The overridden field
      returns Brass objects instead. */
   XmlElementAttribute^ attr = gcnew XmlElementAttribute;
   attr->ElementName = "Brass";
   attr->Type = Brass::typeid;

   // Add the element to the collection of elements.
   attrs->XmlElements->Add( attr );

   // Create the XmlAttributeOverrides object.
   XmlAttributeOverrides^ attrOverrides = gcnew XmlAttributeOverrides;

   /* Add the type of the class that contains the overridden 
      member and the XmlAttributes to override it with to the 
      XmlAttributeOverrides object. */
   attrOverrides->Add( Orchestra::typeid, "Instruments", attrs );

   // Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
   XmlSerializer^ s = gcnew XmlSerializer( Orchestra::typeid,attrOverrides );

   // Writing the file requires a TextWriter.
   TextWriter^ writer = gcnew StreamWriter( filename );

   // Create the object that will be serialized.
   Orchestra^ band = gcnew Orchestra;

   // Create an object of the derived type.
   Brass^ i = gcnew Brass;
   i->Name = "Trumpet";
   i->IsValved = true;
   array<Instrument^>^myInstruments = {i};
   band->Instruments = myInstruments;

   // Serialize the object.
   s->Serialize( writer, band );
   writer->Close();
}

void DeserializeObject( String^ filename )
{
   XmlAttributeOverrides^ attrOverrides = gcnew XmlAttributeOverrides;
   XmlAttributes^ attrs = gcnew XmlAttributes;

   // Create an XmlElementAttribute to override the Instrument.
   XmlElementAttribute^ attr = gcnew XmlElementAttribute;
   attr->ElementName = "Brass";
   attr->Type = Brass::typeid;

   // Add the XmlElementAttribute to the collection of objects.
   attrs->XmlElements->Add( attr );
   attrOverrides->Add( Orchestra::typeid, "Instruments", attrs );

   // Create the XmlSerializer using the XmlAttributeOverrides.
   XmlSerializer^ s = gcnew XmlSerializer( Orchestra::typeid,attrOverrides );
   FileStream^ fs = gcnew FileStream( filename,FileMode::Open );
   Orchestra^ band = dynamic_cast<Orchestra^>(s->Deserialize( fs ));
   Console::WriteLine( "Brass:" );

   /* The difference between deserializing the overridden 
      XML document and serializing it is this: To read the derived 
      object values, you must declare an object of the derived type 
      (Brass), and cast the Instrument instance to it. */
   Brass^ b;
   System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = band->Instruments->GetEnumerator();
   while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
   {
      Instrument^ i = safe_cast<Instrument^>(myEnum->Current);
      b = dynamic_cast<Brass^>(i);
      Console::WriteLine( "{0}\n{1}", b->Name, b->IsValved );
   }
}

int main()
{
   SerializeObject( "Override.xml" );
   DeserializeObject( "Override.xml" );
}
Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
  System.Xml.Serialization..::.XmlAttributeOverrides
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, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

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

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
See Also

Reference

Other Resources

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