WCF SerializableAttribute DataContractAttribute XmlTypeAttribute xsd.exe tool

Question

I have generated a set of classes based on a set of respective *.xsd files using xsd.exe tool, as below:

xsd /c file1.xsd File2.xsd

One of the generated classes is shown below:

[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "4.0.30319.1")]

[System.SerializableAttribute()]   //please note here

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]

//please note here
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType = true, Namespace = "http://www.xx.com/xx")]

public partial class SelfEmploymentTypePartner
{

    private string nameField;

    private SelfEmploymentTypePartnerAddress addressField;

    /// <remarks/>
    public string Name
    {
        get { return this.nameField; }
        set { this.nameField = value; }
    }

    /// <remarks/>
    public SelfEmploymentTypePartnerAddress Address
    {
        get { return this.addressField; }
        set { this.addressField = value; }
    }
}

I want to use all generated classes for WCF, do I need to add DataContractAttribute, and DataMemeberAttribute to the class and its members? as below:

[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "2.0.50727.1432")]

[System.SerializableAttribute()]    //please note here

[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]

   //please note here
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType = true, 
Namespace ="urn:corexx:Application")]

[DataContract(Name = "SelfEmploymentTypePartner")]  //please note here

public partial class SelfEmploymentTypePartner
{

    private string nameField;

    private SelfEmploymentTypePartnerAddress addressField;

    /// <remarks/>
    [DataMember]
    public string Name
    {
        get
        {
            return this.nameField;
        }
        set
        {
            this.nameField = value;
        }
    }

    /// <remarks/>
    [DataMember]
    public SelfEmploymentTypePartnerAddress Address
    {
        get
        {
            return this.addressField;
        }
        set
        {
            this.addressField = value;
        }
    }
}

Because the existing live version is using the version 1, If I change it to version 2, will that break the current users?

If I do need to, is there a easy way to do that. Because I have more than thousands of line of codes to edit.

The interface is below:

 [ServiceContract(SessionMode = SessionMode.Allowed, Namespace = "http://www.xxx.com" ,ProtectionLevel=ProtectionLevel.None)]
    [WsdlDocumentation("")]
    public interface IService
    {

        [OperationContract(ProtectionLevel= ProtectionLevel.None)]   //please note here
        [XmlSerializerFormat]   //please note here
        [FaultContract(typeof(ErrorDetailsStructure))]
        MyResponse GetInfo(RequestParameter parameter);

    }

When both OperationContract and XmlSerializerFormat are used for the interface, which one will be used.. Does WCF use XmlSerializer instead of DataContractSerializer?

Don't use xsd.exe if you want to generate data contracts. That's part of the old XML Serializer technology. Use svcutil.exe instead. — John Saunders, Dec 06 '11 at 19:52
Thanks! Is there any good reason to use svcutil.exe instead. Will xsd.exe be deprecated? or will svcutilexe be better for WCF? — Pingpong, Dec 06 '11 at 22:27
svcutil.exe is for WCF. Simply don't use xsd.exe. "deprecated" is a legal term, but "don't use it" is the truth. — John Saunders, Dec 06 '11 at 22:31
Thank you very much! I wonder if you can have a look at the link regarding how to use svcutil.exe. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8407889/svcutil-exe-generate-classes-from-xsd-files-for-use-with-wcf — Pingpong, Dec 06 '11 at 22:38

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 06 '11 at 13:34

1

You don't need to change the generated code. You only need to tell WCF you are using a different serializer in your service contract definition:

[ServiceContract]
[XmlSerializerFormat]
public interface MyService
{
    [OperationContract]
    [XmlSerializerFormat]
    void MyMethod();
}

However, you should read the pro's and con's of using DataContractSerializer vs XmlSerializer.

answered Dec 06 '11 at 13:34

tom redfern

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As far as I've experienced this attribute is needed either on a type or on a method, but redundant on both. – tsemer Sep 24 '13 at 13:01

WCF SerializableAttribute DataContractAttribute XmlTypeAttribute xsd.exe tool

1 Answers1