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.NET Framework Class Library
SerializationInfo Class

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

Inheritance Hierarchy
System..::.Object
  System.Runtime.Serialization..::.SerializationInfo

Namespace: System.Runtime.Serialization
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public NotInheritable Class SerializationInfo
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public sealed class SerializationInfo
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public ref class SerializationInfo sealed
[<Sealed>]
[<ComVisibleAttribute(true)>]
type SerializationInfo =  class end

The SerializationInfo type exposes the following members.

Constructors
 NameDescription
Public methodSerializationInfoCreates a new instance of the SerializationInfo class.
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Properties
 NameDescription
Public propertyAssemblyNameGets or sets the assembly name of the type to serialize during serialization only.
Public propertyFullTypeNameGets or sets the full name of the Type to serialize.
Public propertyIsAssemblyNameSetExplicitReturns true if the assembly name has been explicitly set.
Public propertyIsFullTypeNameSetExplicitReturns true if the full type name has been explicitly set.
Public propertyMemberCountGets the number of members that have been added to the SerializationInfo store.
Public propertyObjectTypeReturns the type of the object to be serialized.
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Methods
 NameDescription
Public methodAddValue(String, Boolean)Adds a Boolean value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Byte)Adds an 8-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Char)Adds a Unicode character value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, DateTime)Adds a DateTime value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Decimal)Adds a decimal value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Double)Adds a double-precision floating-point value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Int16)Adds a 16-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Int32)Adds a 32-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Int64)Adds a 64-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Object)Adds the specified object into the SerializationInfo store, where it is associated with a specified name.
Public methodAddValue(String, SByte)Adds an 8-bit signed integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Single)Adds a single-precision floating-point value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, UInt16)Adds a 16-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, UInt32)Adds a 32-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, UInt64)Adds a 64-bit unsigned integer value into the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodAddValue(String, Object, Type)Adds a value into the SerializationInfo store, where value is associated with name and is serialized as being of Typetype.
Public methodEquals(Object)Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
Protected methodFinalizeAllows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.)
Public methodGetBooleanRetrieves a Boolean value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetByteRetrieves an 8-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetCharRetrieves a Unicode character value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetDateTimeRetrieves a DateTime value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetDecimalRetrieves a decimal value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetDoubleRetrieves a double-precision floating-point value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetEnumeratorReturns a SerializationInfoEnumerator used to iterate through the name-value pairs in the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetHashCodeServes as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.)
Public methodGetInt16Retrieves a 16-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetInt32Retrieves a 32-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetInt64Retrieves a 64-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetSByteRetrieves an 8-bit signed integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetSingleRetrieves a single-precision floating-point value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetStringRetrieves a String value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetTypeGets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.)
Public methodGetUInt16Retrieves a 16-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetUInt32Retrieves a 32-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetUInt64Retrieves a 64-bit unsigned integer value from the SerializationInfo store.
Public methodGetValueRetrieves a value from the SerializationInfo store.
Protected methodMemberwiseCloneCreates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
Public methodSetTypeSets the Type of the object to serialize.
Public methodToStringReturns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.)
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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 [<topic://cpconCustomSerialization>].

Examples

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


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


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();
        }
    }
}


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;
}

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
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.