c# byte array xml serialization

Question

I got a byte array

public byte[] values;

I fill it with data

new byte[64];

I serialize it and I get the following XML part:

<values>
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==
</values>

I found the following solution here in SO:

[XmlElement("values", DataType = "hexBinary")]
        public byte[] values;

Now I get the same XML as above just with "0" instead of "A".

When I serialize e.g. a Int16/Int32/sbyte array. I get something like this in XML:

<values>0</values>
<values>0</values>
<values>0</values>

In a vertical arrangement.

Now my question: Is it possible to get a byte array also in a vertical arrangement? Like:

    <values>00</values>
    <values>00</values>
    <values>00</values>

Mark

I get an Error when I try to serialize a List. I don't think that is possible. "There was an error reflecting type'...' " SORRY: I missed to delete the DataType Xml Tag. It works! — Mark
– Mark, Commented Sep 2, 2011 at 11:37
List<byte> is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks the_ajp. — Mark
– Mark, Commented Sep 2, 2011 at 11:40

albertjan · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-02 11:44:50Z

4

public class Test
{
    public List<byte> Bytes { get; set; }
}

var xml = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Test));
xml.Serialize(File.Open("test.xml",FileMode.OpenOrCreate),
              new Test
              {
                  Bytes = new List<byte> {0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7}
              });

results in a xml file like:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Test xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <Bytes>
    <unsignedByte>0</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>1</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>2</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>3</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>4</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>5</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>6</unsignedByte>
    <unsignedByte>7</unsignedByte>
  </Bytes> 
</Test>

answered Sep 2, 2011 at 11:44

albertjan

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Comments

Tony The Lion · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-02 11:37:26Z

0

I guess you'd have to explicitly go create a new XML element for each byte in the array. You might as well use a List<byte> or Array<byte> for doing that, instead of a raw array.

As the_ajp said in the comment.

If you're getting an error trying to serialize the list, you've done something wrong. Post the code, perhaps we can help.

answered Sep 2, 2011 at 11:37

Tony The Lion

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2 Comments

Tony The Lion Over a year ago

I mentioned that you said it :)

Mark Over a year ago

Ye thanks, I already commented above, I've missed to delete the DataType = heyBinary part.

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