Serialize 0-n elements inside another element

Question

I have two classes like this:

public class Product
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Id { get; set; }
}

public class Category
{
    public string CategoryName { get; set; }
    public List<Product> Products { get; set; }
}

Is there some way I can decorate my Products property on the Category class, so it is serialized like this?

    <Container>
      <Category>
        <CategoryName>Unicorn Stuff</CategoryName>
        <Product>
          <Id>1212</Id>
          <Name>Unicorn Dust</Name>
        </Product>
        <Product>
          <Id>1829</Id>
          <Name>Horn Extension</Name>
        </Product>
        <Product>
          <Id>27373</Id>
          <Name>Facemask with hole</Name>
        </Product>
      </Category>
      <Category>
        <CategoryName>Pixie</CategoryName>
        <Product>
          <Id>222</Id>
          <Name>Pixie Dust</Name>
        </Product>    
      </Category>
    </Container>

Note that Each category has category elements (Category name) AND 0-n Product child elements.

...Or do I have to drop down to generating the document in a more manual way?

(This is not how I would have designed the xml structure, but hey - we live in an imperfect world)

John>> I Get a Products-element, that contains the products. — Kjensen, Apr 26 '11 at 19:59

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 26 '11 at 20:01

5

Place the [XmlElement] attribute on the list:

public class Category
{
    public string CategoryName { get; set; }
    [XmlElement]
    public List<Product> Products { get; set; }
}

answered Apr 26 '11 at 20:01

John Saunders

160,644
26
247
397

I can't f#cking believe I did not try this before asking. I already have like 50 XmlElement attributes in the real classes already. Great, thanks! :) – Kjensen Apr 26 '11 at 20:25
@Kjensen: glad that helped. Could you post an example of the original XML in your question? – John Saunders Apr 26 '11 at 22:30

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 26 '11 at 19:54

0

I believe XSD.exe can create the XSD from your class for you. Then you would simply use the basic XmlSerializer to serialize to your XSD.

Alternatively, you can create your XSD, and generate your class from the XSD. Either way should work.

answered Apr 26 '11 at 19:54

AllenG

8,112
29
40

You can use tools such as http://www.xmlforasp.net/CodeBank/System_Xml_Schema/BuildSchema/BuildXMLSchema.aspx to create XSD if you don't have one. – Bala R Apr 26 '11 at 19:59

Serialize 0-n elements inside another element

2 Answers2