Serialize List> to Attributes

Question

I want to serialize List of tuples to XML Attributes. For example:

List<Tuple<String, String>> attributes = new List<Tuple<String, String>>();
attributes.Add(New Tuple("att1", value1"));
attributes.Add(New Tuple("att2", value2"));

It should appear as:

<Root att1="value1" att2="value2">
</Root>

Edit: I have a class like this which I am serializing using XmlSerializer:

public class Root
{
     List<Tuple<String, String>> attributes = new List<Tuple<String, String>>();

     //other attributes and elements exist in this class
}

Is there an easy way of doing it?

Thanks

You should define the elements inside the class with the [`XmlAttributeAttribute`](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.xml.serialization.xmlattributeattribute.aspx). — Dustin Kingen, Jul 05 '13 at 14:01
The problem is that I don't know the name and number of attributes before hand. So It has to be some sort of undefined elements in an array/list etc. — user2483744, Jul 05 '13 at 14:07

Dustin Kingen · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-05T14:55:29.093

1

Your syntax is incorrect since New is capitalized in VB not C#.

Please read the documentation for XDocument and try to work through the examples.

Here is an example:

var attributes = new List<Tuple<string, string>>();
attributes.Add(Tuple.Create("att1", "value1"));
attributes.Add(Tuple.Create("att2", "value2"));

var document = new XDocument();
var root = new XElement("Root");
document.Add(root);

foreach(var node in attributes.Select(x => new XAttribute(x.Item1, x.Item2)))
{
    root.Add(node);
}

Console.WriteLine(document); // <Root att1="value1" att2="value2" />

Edit:

To use the XmlSerializer use attributes:

[XmlType("Root")]
public class Root
{
    [XmlAttribute("attr1")]
    public string Attribute1 { get; set; }
    [XmlAttribute("attr2")]
    public string Attribute2 { get; set; }
}

Or you'll need to implement IXmlSerializable for the dynamic attributes.

edited Jul 05 '13 at 14:55

answered Jul 05 '13 at 13:47

Dustin Kingen

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The problem is that I don't know the name and number of attributes before hand. So It has to be some sort of undefined elements in an array/list etc. – user2483744 Jul 05 '13 at 14:08
Then XDocument would probably provide the simplest usage. Does this need to be both serializable and deserializable? – Dustin Kingen Jul 05 '13 at 14:15
Yes, it needs to serialize and deserialize. – user2483744 Jul 05 '13 at 14:31
See if [XML Serialize dynamic object](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7501846/xml-serialize-dynamic-object) works for you. – Dustin Kingen Jul 05 '13 at 14:44

Serialize List> to Attributes

1 Answers1