Serializing Objects with the DataContract/Data member for WCF

Question

I am attempting to Serialize my data layer objects. these are complex objects that have properties, methods and collections of objects.

All the classes are inheriting from a base class Which gets serialized.

    [DataContract]
    [KnownType(typeof(Person))]
    [KnownType(typeof(Client))]
    [KnownType(typeof(Professional))]
    [KnownType(typeof(ProfessionalApptHistory))]
    [KnownType(typeof(DailySchedule))]
    [KnownType(typeof(Option))]
    [KnownType(typeof(PersonType))]
    [KnownType(typeof(ProfessionClientInteractionType))]
    [KnownType(typeof(ProfessionalClientInteractions))]
    [KnownType(typeof(ProfessionalCalendar))]
    public abstract class CMBase
    {
        protected designs3_OurTimeEntities _entities = new designs3_OurTimeEntities();
        [DataMember()]
        public abstract bool IsPersisted { get; internal set; }
    }

I have a person class which also get serialized

    [DataContract(Name = "Person")]
    [KnownType(typeof(Professional))]
    [KnownType(typeof(Client))]
    public abstract class Person : CMBase
    {
        [DataMember()]
        public int PersonId { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public int PersonTypeId { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public string Name { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public string ContactNumber { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public string ImageLocation { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public Bitmap Image { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public Guid MembershipUserId { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public DateTime? ActivationStartDate { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public string Email { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public string Zip { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public bool ShowDefaultPage { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public bool IsClient { get; internal set; }

        [DataMember()]        
        public override bool IsPersisted
        {
            get
            {
                if (this.PersonId == 0)
                {
                    return false;
                }
                else
                {
                    return true;
                }
            }
            internal set
            {
                throw new NotImplementedException();
            }
        }

... }

then I have this class which doenst get serialized

    [DataContract(Name = "Professional")]
    public class Professional : Person
    {
        [DataMember()]
        public DateTime DateStartedInProfession { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public int? ShopId { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public DateTime LastPayment { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public DateTime NextPaymentDate { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public DateTime TerminationDate { get; set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public int? Rating { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public bool hasSystemAccess { get; internal set; }
        [DataMember()]
        public List<SaveResult> SaveResults { get; internal set; }
...
}

I also have other classes that don't get serialized and I don't understand what is happening.

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:59

1

For late visitors (just like me): Inheritance is the problem, as it is discussed here: Definiting the Serialization DataMember in Interface and then using it in a class implementing said interface

If Person would be an interface and Profession would implement that interface, that would work. This is because the attribute DataMember cannot be inherited.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:59

Community

1
1

answered Jun 24 '13 at 14:42

Gábor Imre

5,899
2
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48

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:13

1

Take a look at Serialize a nullable int

It has some approaches you could follow.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:13

Community

1
1

answered May 03 '11 at 15:57

Rob P.

14,921
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score -1 · Answer 3 · answered May 03 '11 at 17:03

-1

Change

[DataMember()]
public int? ShopId { get; set; }

To

[DataMember()]
public Nullable<int> ShopId { get; set; }

I'm sure that Nullable get's serialized, I'm not 100% sure that's your only problem though.

answered May 03 '11 at 17:03

David Rodrigues

622
5
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I changed the nullable types so they are not nullable anymore, so they read like this [DataMember()] public int ShopId { get; set; }. It still is not serializing when I update the service reference. Is there a problem with the base class inheritance? – ChampChris May 03 '11 at 17:17
1

`int?` is syntactic sugar for Nullable handled by the compiler. There should be no visible difference to the serializer. – Oskar Berggren Aug 18 '14 at 09:21

Serializing Objects with the DataContract/Data member for WCF

3 Answers3