C# XML Serialization/Deserialization

Question

I am brand new to C#. I'm taking a class on it right now, and one of our class examples wont compile. Visual Studio 2010 gives me this error: There is an error in XML document (3, 2).

How should I edit the XML file to make it work with the code?

Thank you for your help!

public class SerializeIn
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Declarations.
        Person[] p = new Person[0];
        string infile = "Persons.xml";
        StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(infile);
        XmlSerializer xs = new XmlSerializer(p.GetType());

        // Deserialize Person object from disc.
        p = (Person[])(xs.Deserialize(sr));

        // Close StreamReader object to be safe.
        sr.Close();

        // Write what happened.
        Console.WriteLine("Deserialized array p from output file " +
            infile + ".");

        // Print array.
        foreach(Person x in p)
            Console.WriteLine(x);

        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

using System; namespace XmlArraySerialize { /// /// XmlArraySerialize Example: Serializes and deserializes /// an array of Person. ///

public class Person
{
    public string name;
    public string gender;
    public int age;

    // Noarg constructor needed for compatibility
    public Person() { }

    public Person(string theName, string theGender, int theAge)
    {
        name = theName;
        gender = theGender;
        age = theAge;
    }

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return name + " " + gender + " " + age;

    }
}

}

And the XML file...

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="no"?>
<!--Created by ToXml Example in IO-->
<Persons>
    <Person ID="1001">
        <Name>Susan</Name>
        <Gender>F</Gender>
        <Age>21</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1002">
        <Name>Michael</Name>
        <Gender>M</Gender>
        <Age>25</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1003">
        <Name>Judy</Name>
        <Gender>F</Gender>
        <Age>31</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1004">
        <Name>Chloe</Name>
        <Gender>F</Gender>
        <Age>27</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1005">
        <Name>Scott</Name>
        <Gender>M</Gender>
        <Age>58</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1006">
        <Name>William</Name>
        <Gender>M</Gender>
        <Age>41</Age>
    </Person>
    <Person ID="1007">
        <Name>Mary</Name>
        <Gender>F</Gender>
        <Age>30</Age>
    </Person>
</Persons>

Can you post also the code for "Person" class? Moreover, you mention it is compile error, but I don't think VS will bother your XML file, where you put the XML file? It should not be included in VS project (at least not need to compile). — xandy, Nov 19 '10 at 00:23
Okay, edited to include the Person class. The XML file is just in the /bin/debug folder. — Taj G, Nov 19 '10 at 00:31
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10109608/c-sharp-deserialize-xml-to-object-there-is-an-error-in-xml-document-3-2/15620946#15620946 This post has the solution. — Savaratkar, Mar 25 '13 at 17:26

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 19 '10 at 00:22

This should work )

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {   
        const string infile = "x:\\Persons.xml";
        Persons p;

        using (var sr = new StreamReader(infile))
        {
            var xs = new XmlSerializer(p.GetType());
            p = (Persons)(xs.Deserialize(sr));
        }

        Console.WriteLine("Deserialized array p from output file " + infile + ".");

        // Print array.
        foreach (var x in p)
            Console.WriteLine(x);

        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

[XmlType(TypeName = "Persons")]
public class Persons : IEnumerable<Person>
{
    private List<Person> inner = new List<Person>();

    public void Add(object o)
    {
        inner.Add((Person)o);
    }

    public IEnumerator<Person> GetEnumerator()
    {
        return inner.GetEnumerator();
    }

    IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator()
    {
        return GetEnumerator();
    }
}


public class Person
{
    [XmlAttribute]
    public int ID { get; set; }

    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Gender { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
}

More about XmlType, More about XmlAttribute

Hi, thank you for the response! I'm wondering if there is a way to simply edit the XML file so that it will load correctly? — Taj G, Nov 19 '10 at 00:27
@Taj G, I don't see any easy way to edit the XML to have it load. Your code is has no reference to anything named Persons, which is where you are getting your run time error. After that, your code has nothing for the ID attribute in the XML file. You need some code changes to get it to work. — Jason, Nov 19 '10 at 01:00

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 19 '10 at 00:46

0

Thank you for your input! I have solved the problem. Since there is no main method in the code, I had to edit the properties so that SerializeOut works before SerializeIn. I guess the Persons XML file is just a template... Thanks again!

answered Nov 19 '10 at 00:46

Taj G

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C# XML Serialization/Deserialization

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