XML serializer not able to Deserialize array correctly

Question

I'm getting XML in following format:

<Order>
    <OrderData>
        <OfferOrder></OfferOrder>
        <OfferOrder></OfferOrder>       
    </OrderData>
</Order>

Now when I'm Deserializng string orderxml containing the XML, It doesn't fill <OfferOrder> into my OrderData object.

XmlSerializer xmlserializer = new XmlSerializer((typeof(Order)));
using (TextReader reader = new StringReader(orderxml))
{
    order = (Order)xmlserializer.Deserialize(reader);
}

Classes:

public partial class Order
{
    private OrderOrderData orderDataField;

    public OrderOrderData OrderData
    {
        get
        {
            return this.orderDataField;
        }
        set
        {
            this.orderDataField = value;
        }
    }
}

public partial class OrderOrderData
{
    private OrderOrderDataOfferOrder[] offerOrderField;

    public OrderOrderDataOfferOrder[] OfferOrder
    {
        get
        {
            return this.offerOrderField;
        }
        set
        {
            this.offerOrderField = value;
        }
    }
}

Is something wrong with my classes?

Simpelst way is defined [this post] (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364253/how-to-deserialize-xml-document) — M. Adeel Khalid, Feb 21 '17 at 11:17

MakePeaceGreatAgain · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-21T10:46:40.113

2

There are some issues in your code. First you can make your properties to auto-implemented properties, that is omit the private backing-fields and write this instead:

public MyType MyProperty { get; set; }

Second you have to provide the names of the tags within the Xml to the serializer. In your case the names within the xml and those in your class-structure are equal, so you can omit the names also. However just for completeness:

public class Order
{
    [XmlElement("OrderData")
    public OrderOrderData OrderData { get; set; }
}

public class OrderOrderData
{
    [XmlElement("OfferOrder")
    public OrderOrderDataOfferOrder[] OfferOrder { get; set; }
}

The reason why it doesn´t work for you is that arrays are usually serialized with a nested element whose name in your case would be OfferOrders. Within that tag you have then the arrays elements. Usually it´s not wanted to have that further nesting, what you want instead is to flatten the elements of the array directly into your actual data-class. To do so add an XmlElement upfront your array-declaration with the name of the elements, in my code OfferOrder.

edited Feb 21 '17 at 10:46

answered Feb 21 '17 at 10:39

MakePeaceGreatAgain

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I suspect another problem arising from "partial" ( `public partial class OrderOrderData` ) – Fildor Feb 21 '17 at 10:41
@HimBromBeere `the type or namespace XmlElement could not be found` – Huma Ali Feb 21 '17 at 10:46
Then add it: `using System.Xml.Serialization;`. – MakePeaceGreatAgain Feb 21 '17 at 10:47
@Fildor What´s whrong with a partial class? I think this should work. – MakePeaceGreatAgain Feb 21 '17 at 10:52
@HimBromBeere Nothing wrong with it in general. But we cannot see the other "parts" ... so there may be additional problems there, but we cannot see it in the snippets given. – Fildor Feb 21 '17 at 10:54
@HimBromBeere Got it. Works! – Huma Ali Feb 21 '17 at 12:01

XML serializer not able to Deserialize array correctly

1 Answers1