Deserialize plain xml

Question

I need to deserialize plain xml, without namespace and root element, for example:

    <element name="1">
       <subelement1>2</subelement/>
    </element>
    <element name="2">
     <subelement1>3</subelement/>
    </element>

How can I do this using XmlSerializer? I have XmlDataset, which was generated by xsd.exe. But when i use code I see InvalidOperationException with message "< xmlns=''> not expected"

That is simply not a valid xml document (multiple root nodes are not legal); `XmlSerializer` will not like that. The rest, however, is trivial and should just work fine with `[XmlRoot("element")]` — Marc Gravell, Oct 24 '14 at 17:36
I agree. You need to have valid XML if you want the XMLSerializer to work with it. Just create a new XML document with a root node and add that fragment inside the root node. Now it is valid XML. — DVK, Oct 24 '14 at 18:00

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 17:46

Like below. Key points:

you need to control the reader manually to set the conformance level to "fragment", to allow multiple root nodes
you need to obtain a sub-tree reader per root node for XmlSerializer to work against

Code:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

[XmlRoot("element")]
public class MyElement
{
    [XmlAttribute("name")]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("subelement1")]
    public string Value { get; set; }

}
public static class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var xml = @"
<element name=""1"">
    <subelement1>2</subelement1>
</element>
<element name=""2"">
    <subelement1>3</subelement1>
</element>";
        var ser = new XmlSerializer(typeof(MyElement));
        using (var sr = new StringReader(xml))
        using (var xr = XmlReader.Create(sr, new XmlReaderSettings
        {
            IgnoreWhitespace = true,
            ConformanceLevel = System.Xml.ConformanceLevel.Fragment
        }))
        {
            while (xr.MoveToContent() == XmlNodeType.Element)
            {
                using (var subtree = xr.ReadSubtree())
                {
                    var obj = (MyElement)ser.Deserialize(subtree);
                    Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}",
                        obj.Name, obj.Value);
                }
                xr.Read();
            }
        }
    }

}

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:28

0

This SO question may be helpful. It involves using dynamic as opposed to the xsd you mentioned.

As for the InvalidOperationException issue, can you post a simple, complete example of your XML that produces the error? It will help in identifying the problem.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:28

Community

1
1

answered Oct 24 '14 at 18:02

Nx'

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3

Deserialize plain xml

2 Answers2