System Namespace

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Indicates that a class can be serialized. This class cannot be inherited.

SerializableAttribute Class Members

Show Inherited Members

Constructors Visibility Constructor Parameters public SerializableAttribute ( )

Apply the SerializableAttribute attribute to a type to indicate that instances of this type can be serialized. The common language runtime throws SerializationException if any type in the graph of objects being serialized does not have the SerializableAttribute attribute applied.

Apply the SerializableAttribute attribute even if the class also implements the ISerializable interface to control the serialization process.

All the public and private fields in a type marked by the SerializableAttribute are serialized by default, unless the type implements the ISerializable interface to override the serialization process. The default serialization process excludes fields that are marked with the NonSerializedAttribute attribute. If a field of a serializable type contains a pointer, a handle, or some other data structure that is specific to a particular environment, and cannot be meaningfully reconstituted in a different environment, then you might want to apply the NonSerializedAttribute attribute to that field.

For more information about using attributes, see Extending Metadata Using Attributes. For more information about serialization, see System.Runtime.Serialization Namespace.

[ Visual Basic, C# ] The following example demonstrates serialization of an object marked with the SerializableAttribute attribute. To use the BinaryFormatter instead of the SoapFormatter, uncomment the appropriate lines.

[ VB ]
Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Soap

''Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary


Public Class Test
  
   Public Shared Sub Main ( )
     
      ' Creates a new TestSimpleObject object.
      Dim obj As New TestSimpleObject ( )
     
      Response.WriteLine ( "Before serialization the object contains: " )
      obj.Print ( )
     
      ' Opens a file and serializes the object into it in binary format.
      Dim stream As Stream = File.Open ( "data.xml", FileMode.Create )
      Dim formatter As New SoapFormatter ( )
     
      ''Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter ( )

      formatter.Serialize ( stream, obj )
      stream.Close ( )
     
      ' Empties obj.
      obj = Nothing
     
      ' Opens file "data.xml" and deserializes the object from it.
      stream = File.Open ( "data.xml", FileMode.Open )
      formatter = New SoapFormatter ( )

      ''formatter = New BinaryFormatter ( )

      obj = CType ( formatter.Deserialize ( stream ), TestSimpleObject )
      stream.Close ( )
     
      Response.WriteLine ( "" )
      Response.WriteLine ( "After deserialization the object contains: " )
      obj.Print ( )

   End Sub 'Main

End Class 'Test


' A test object that needs to be serialized.
<Serializable ( ) > Public Class TestSimpleObject
  
   Public member1 As Integer
   Public member2 As String
   Public member3 As String
   Public member4 As Double
  
   ' A member that is not serialized.
   <NonSerialized ( ) > Public member5 As String 
 
  
   Public Sub New ( )    
      member1 = 11
      member2 = "hello"
      member3 = "hello"
      member4 = 3.14159265
      member5 = "hello world!"
   End Sub 'New
     
  
   Public Sub Print ( )     
      Response.WriteLine ( "member1 = '{0}'", member1 )
      Response.WriteLine ( "member2 = '{0}'", member2 )
      Response.WriteLine ( "member3 = '{0}'", member3 )
      Response.WriteLine ( "member4 = '{0}'", member4 )
      Response.WriteLine ( "member5 = '{0}'", member5 )
   End Sub 'Print

End Class 'TestSimpleObject

[ C# ]
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Soap;
//using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

public class Test {
   public static void Main ( )  {

      //Creates a new TestSimpleObject object.
      TestSimpleObject obj = new TestSimpleObject ( );

      Response.WriteLine ( "Before serialization the object contains: " );
      obj.Print ( );

      //Opens a file and serializes the object into it in binary format.
      Stream stream = File.Open ( "data.xml", FileMode.Create );
      SoapFormatter formatter = new SoapFormatter ( );

      //BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter ( );

      formatter.Serialize ( stream, obj );
      stream.Close ( );
  
      //Empties obj.
      obj = null;
  
      //Opens file "data.xml" and deserializes the object from it.
      stream = File.Open ( "data.xml", FileMode.Open );
      formatter = new SoapFormatter ( );

      //formatter = new BinaryFormatter ( );

      obj = ( TestSimpleObject ) formatter.Deserialize ( stream );
      stream.Close ( );

      Response.WriteLine ( "" );
      Response.WriteLine ( "After deserialization the object contains: " );
      obj.Print ( );
   }
}


// A test object that needs to be serialized.
[ Serializable ( ) ]     
public class TestSimpleObject  {

    public int member1;
    public string member2;
    public string member3;
    public double member4;
   
    // A field that is not serialized.
    [ NonSerialized ( ) ] public string member5;
   
    public TestSimpleObject ( ) {

        member1 = 11;
        member2 = "hello";
        member3 = "hello";
        member4 = 3.14159265;
        member5 = "hello world!";
    }


    public void Print ( ) {

        Response.WriteLine ( "member1 = '{0}'", member1 );
        Response.WriteLine ( "member2 = '{0}'", member2 );
        Response.WriteLine ( "member3 = '{0}'", member3 );
        Response.WriteLine ( "member4 = '{0}'", member4 );
        Response.WriteLine ( "member5 = '{0}'", member5 );
    }
}

Attribute   ISerializable   NonSerializedAttribute

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