OVSXmlSerializer 3.0.0-pre2

Odd's Very Special Xml Serializer

..Or OVSXmlSerializer for short.

The system itself works very similar to how the XML serializer works normally, but is meant to be worked with the object or more 'undefined' data that the ordinary XML serializer have difficulty handling. You can turn this off for more traditional formatting with the config class, but it does reveal the issue once again. Additionally, It can handle reference types; allowing multiple separate fields that contain the same instance; It also allows you to connect a built-in debugger to specifically track what is wrong with the serialization/deserialization if needed.

Unlike the traditional XML Serializer, this will use the type parameters in the class to automatically differentiate enums and arrays, which will remove the need to mark fields as [XmlArray] or [XmlEnum].

Explicit Types

The unique function of this XML serializer over others is its explicit type handling. What this does is that it allows it to reserve its derived types when considering base types, down to the level of object. This feature can be turned on or off.

This feature is enabled by default, but creating OVSConfig, this can be turned off. It will also implicitly convert System.Xml.XmlWriterSettings to the config to ensure smooth transtion between systems.

There are 3 options you can enable:

1. Always Included - Regardless of the situation, it will write the type.
2. Smart Types - When defined out of the base field, it will write the type.
3. Ignore - It will never write the type, which may show incorrect behaviour.

Serializing

Like the default system XML serializer, they pose the same requirements such as:

1. Requiring to have a public or private parameterless constructor.
2. Having all fields follow the same constraint as above.
3. During certain restrictions like a limited environment may cause issues; Modifying the readonly handle option in the config seems to fix this.

There are two serializers, the generic and the non-generic. The non-generic derives from the generic as object for performance reasons, and is created as instances due to configurations.

When done serializing as an XML, it typically returns a stream, or applies to a new or existing file.

Note that it does removes the initial xml version and encoding at the top, as it always to be assumed UTF-8 and on version 1.0. This can be changed in the config of course.

Deserializing

Requires the stream or XML file to retrieve the object mentioned by the XML. It is relatively easy enough, get a file that is generated by the OVSXmlSerializer and it will de-parse it easily, assuming that you know the derived types.

Attributes

Here are a few attributes that uses in its own OVSXmlSerializer namespace. Note that System.Xml.Serialization will be converted automatically if needed.

1. [XmlIgnore] Ignores the field completely
2. [XmlAttribute] Adds primitive value as a single attribute to the class being serialized, can optionally add a name.
3. [XmlNamedAs(string name)] Changes the field name or object name to something else on XML serialization.
4. [XmlText] Assuming that all other fields are attributes or ignored, this will write the primitive value
5. [XmlIgnoreConfigs] Ignores all the customizable serializers when serializing the object or field. Most notably unsafe collections.

Arrays are automatically serialized as its own, and does follow the ignore configs attribute.

Custom Serializers

introduced in 3.0.0

While the serializable interface does work for basic situations, sometimes you need a bit more control, or want to serialize something that is out of your reach (i.e a dll file). One way is to add your own custom serializer that handles on checking what conditions it follows. There is a few already added for Datetime and Timespan. The default serializer list is as follows, and always goes latest added first:

1. ListInterfaceSerializer Serializes the list with IList interface, same issue with dictionary serializer.
2. ArraySerializer Serializes the array as normal, knows what core element it is.
3. DictionarySerializer Serializes the dictionary using the IDictionary interface, serializing the keys and values with types as the IDictionary doesn't provide generics.
4. DatetimeSerializer Serializes datetime as normal
5. TimeSpanSerializer First, and serializes timespan as normal