C# serialize private class member

Question

class Person
{
    public string m_name;
    private int m_age; // << how do I serialize the darn little rat?
}

Simple question yet it seems like a big mess when trying to answer it.
Everyone suggest to use public getter/setter but my app is too big and making a getter/setter for each member would just cause maintainability issues.

Am I forced to create a custom serialization here or is there a magic attribute for such members?
How do I serialize private class members?

Edit #1:
Ok everyone, sorry for the unclarity, I was a bit upset when I wrote this question, it was several hours after trying to find the solution.
Anyway, here are more facts:
1. I'm trying to XML serialize this class. Currently I'm using System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.
2. I'm serializing into XML to have version compatibility, which as far as I understand binary doesn't offer me that.
3.I was hoping that there's a certain attribute like:

class Person
{
    public string m_name;
    [SerializeThat(ElementName="Age")]
    private int m_age; // << how do I serialize the darn little rat?
}

OR (continue of fact #3) an attribute that goes on the class which would look like:

[Serializable(DoPrivate = true, DoProtected = true)]
class Person
{
    public string m_name;
    private int m_age; // << how do I serialize the darn little rat?
}

Now, what can I do to achieve it?

Answer 1

Going on the assumption of a typo, I'd like to redirect you to this SO article where the solution is to use a DataContractSerializer instead.

Answer 2

Don't know if you can use DataContract. But with this you could write:

[DataContract]
class Person
{
    [DataMember]
    public string m_name;

    [DataMember]
    private int m_age;
}

The advantage of DataContract that you can serialize private fields and your class doesn't need a default constructor.

Answer 3

If you use BinaryFormatter, it will go for your class' private parts.

Mark every class of yours with [Serializable] or you won't go far...

Also, look this: Why is Serializable Attribute required for an object to be serialized

Since you need XML, maybe you can pull yourself though it all with SoapFormatter. See this.

Apropos version compatibility: I use BinaryFormatter and have no problems with schema upgrades. Try it please: you can handle schema changes yourself, our simply replace null pointers left out by the Deserialize with appropriate default constructs. If you don't really need the features that XML provide, go binary - you'll never look back.

Also, one more EDIT:

BF will readily resolve all your multiple references so it won't create multiple instances of the same reference over and over. Guess you won't get that with XmlSerializer - it's obvious that it has no place for storing that information.

Example:

class Data
{
    int a;
}

class ManyData
{
    Data d1;
    Data d2;
}

...

ManyData md=new ManyData();
md.d1=new Data();
md.d2=md.d1;

Try serializing/deserializing md with several alternatives...

Answer 4

What serializer ate you currently using? Almost all should work with that. But public fields *is*a bad idea. XmlSerializer and JavaScriptSerializer will ignore private members. DataContractSerializer and protobuf-net can deal with private members. BinaryFormatter handles fields (public or private), but is not a good idea IMO for numerous reasons.

Answer 5

ISerializable? http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.iserializable.aspx

Answer 6

You better write custom serializer

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.iserializable.aspx

Answer 7

Use IXmlSerializable interface and control fields that you want to serialize:

public interface IXmlSerializable
{
    XmlSchema GetSchema();
    void ReadXml(XmlReader reader);
    void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer);
}