XmlTypeAttribute Class (System.Xml.Serialization)

.NET Framework Class Library

XmlTypeAttribute Class

Controls the XML schema that is generated when the attribute target is serialized by the XmlSerializer.

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

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

<AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets.Class Or AttributeTargets.Struct Or AttributeTargets.Enum Or AttributeTargets.Interface)> _
Public Class XmlTypeAttribute _
    Inherits Attribute

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As XmlTypeAttribute

[AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets.Class|AttributeTargets.Struct|AttributeTargets.Enum|AttributeTargets.Interface)]
public class XmlTypeAttribute : Attribute

Visual C++

[AttributeUsageAttribute(AttributeTargets::Class|AttributeTargets::Struct|AttributeTargets::Enum|AttributeTargets::Interface)]
public ref class XmlTypeAttribute : public Attribute

JScript

public class XmlTypeAttribute extends Attribute

Remarks

The XmlTypeAttribute 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 XmlTypeAttribute to a class, structure, enumeration, or interface declaration.

Apply the XmlTypeAttribute to a class to specify the XML type's namespace, the XML type name, and whether to include the type in the XML schema document. To see the results of setting the properties of the XmlTypeAttribute class, compile your application as an executable or DLL, and pass the resulting file to the XML Schema Definition Tool (Xsd.exe). The tool writes the schema, including the type definition.

Note:
If you set the IncludeInSchema property to false, the XML Schema Definition Tool (Xsd.exe) does not include the type in the schema. By default, for each public class, the XSD tool generates a complexType and an element of that type.

For more information about using attributes, see Extending Metadata Using Attributes.

Note:
You can use the word XmlType in your code instead of the longer XmlTypeAttribute.

Examples

The following example shows two classes to which the XmlTypeAttribute has been applied.

Visual Basic

<XmlType(Namespace := "http://www.cpandl.com", _
 TypeName := "GroupMember")> _
Public Class Person
    Public Name As String
End Class

<XmlType(Namespace := "http://www.cohowinery.com", _
 TypeName := "GroupAddress")> _ 
Public Class Address

    Public Line1 As String
    Public Line2 As String
    Public City As String
    Public State As String
    Public Zip As String
End Class

Public Class Group
    Public Staff() As Person
    Public Manager As Person
    Public Location As Address
End Class

[XmlType(Namespace = "http://www.cpandl.com",
TypeName = "GroupMember")]
public class Person
{
   public string Name;
}

[XmlType(Namespace = "http://www.cohowinery.com",
TypeName = "GroupAddress")]
public class Address
{
   public string Line1;
   public string Line2;
   public string City;
   public string State;
   public string Zip;
}

public class Group
{
   public Person[] Staff;
   public Person Manager;
   public Address Location;
}

Visual C++

[XmlType(Namespace="http://www.cpandl.com",
TypeName="GroupMember")]
public ref class Person
{
public:
   String^ Name;
};


[XmlType(Namespace="http://www.cohowinery.com",
TypeName="GroupAddress")]
public ref class Address
{
public:
   String^ Line1;
   String^ Line2;
   String^ City;
   String^ State;
   String^ Zip;
};

public ref class Group
{
public:
   array<Person^>^Staff;
   Person^ Manager;
   Address^ Location;
};

CPP_OLD

[XmlType(Namespace = S"http://www.cpandl.com",
TypeName = S"GroupMember")]
public __gc class Person
{
public:
   String* Name;
};

[XmlType(Namespace = S"http://www.cohowinery.com",
TypeName = S"GroupAddress")]
public __gc class Address
{
public:
   String* Line1;
   String* Line2;
   String* City;
   String* State;
   String* Zip;
};

public __gc class Group
{
public:
   Person* Staff[];
   Person* Manager;
   Address* Location;
};

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
System..::.Attribute
System.Xml.Serialization..::.XmlTypeAttribute

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