ASP.NET MVC: C# custom serialize a list of objects to xml

Question

I have a model that I would like to serialize to an xml with specific properties.

Model:

public class MyClassModel
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public DateTime updated { get; set; }
}

The Code in the controller action:

IList<MyClassModel> objects = getStuff();
return new XmlResult(jaPropEstates); //Asp.net mvc class that is inherited from ActionResult

XmlResult class

public class XmlResult : ActionResult
{
    private object objectToSerialize;

    /// <summary>
    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="XmlResult"/> class.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="objectToSerialize">The object to serialize to XML.</param>
    public XmlResult(object objectToSerialize)
    {
        this.objectToSerialize = objectToSerialize;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets the object to be serialized to XML.
    /// </summary>
    public object ObjectToSerialize
    {
        get { return this.objectToSerialize; }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Serialises the object that was passed into the constructor to XML and writes the corresponding XML to the result stream.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="context">The controller context for the current request.</param>
    public override void ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context)
    {
        if (this.objectToSerialize != null)
        {
            context.HttpContext.Response.Clear();
            var xs = new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(this.objectToSerialize.GetType());
            context.HttpContext.Response.ContentType = "text/xml";
            xs.Serialize(context.HttpContext.Response.Output, this.objectToSerialize);
        }
    }
}

The output:

<ArrayOfMyClassModel>
   <MyClassModel>
      <Id>0</Id>
      <updated>0001-01-01T00:00:00</updated>
   </MyClassModel>
   <MyClassModel>
      <Id>2</Id>
      <updated>0001-01-01T00:00:00</updated>
   </MyClassModel>

I want it to be like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!-- I want this -->
<listings xmlns="listings-schema"> <!-- I want ArrayOfMyClassModel to be renamed to this -->
    <property> <!-- I want MyClassModel to be renamed to property -->
      <Id>2</Id>
      <updated>0001-01-01T00:00:00</updated>
    </property>
</listings>

Note the difference as commented. How do I give my elements custom names?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

3

Check out Proper way to implement IXmlSerializable. Gives you complete control over the XML serializer.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

Community

1
1

answered Nov 27 '10 at 21:53

Erik Philips

53,428
11
128
150

Robin Maben · Answer 2 · 2010-11-27T21:48:01.690

1

I'm assuming you have larger datasets by volume and complexity.

The first approach that comes to my mind is to get your output in an XmlDocument object then transform it against an XSL transformation.

OR System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer is another angle of approach.

See an example here

edited Nov 27 '10 at 21:48

answered Nov 27 '10 at 21:36

Robin Maben

22,194
16
64
99

The second one doesn't show how to rename nodes from the original property name. – Shawn Mclean Nov 27 '10 at 22:06

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 28 '10 at 00:47

0

Your class is called "MyClassModel". If you want your xml element to be called "property" instead, rename your class to "property". However, you would be violating common naming conventions by using camel case instead of pascal case for your class.

answered Nov 28 '10 at 00:47

Stephen Curial

27
1

So there is no way to put an attribute on it so its renamed in the xml and not renaming the whole class? I have to follow a schema that was given to me to expose the data. – Shawn Mclean Nov 28 '10 at 03:08
I think there is an attribute called XmlType that you can put on the class to rename it in the xml. I am used to naming my class and properties to be the same as what the xml names will be, but using the attribute is okay too. – Stephen Curial Nov 28 '10 at 03:56

ASP.NET MVC: C# custom serialize a list of objects to xml

3 Answers3