c# - How to make a value type nullable with .NET XmlSerializer?

Question

Let's suppose I have this object:

[Serializable]
public class MyClass
{
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public int MyClassB { get; set; }
}
[Serializable]
public class MyClassB
{
    public int RandomNumber { get; set; }
}

The XmlSerializer will serialize the object like that:

<MyClass>
    <Age>0</age>
    <MyClassB>
        <RandomNumber>4234</RandomNumber>
    </MyClassB>
</MyClass>

How can I made the property Age nullable? IE: to not serialize the property Age when it's under 0?

I tried with the Nullable, but it serialize my object like that:

<MyClass>
    <Age d5p1:nil="true" />
    <MyClassB>
        <RandomNumber>4234</RandomNumber>
    </MyClassB>
</MyClass>    

By reading the MSDN documentation I found this:

You cannot apply the IsNullable property to a member typed as a value type because a value type cannot contain nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic). Additionally, you cannot set this property to false for nullable value types. When such types are nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), they will be serialized by setting xsi:nil to true.

source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.xml.serialization.xmlelementattribute.isnullable.aspx

I understand a value type can't be set to null. A valuetype is always set to something. The serialization can't make the decision to serialize it or not based on it's current value.

I tried with the attributes, but it didn't work out. I tried creating an agecontainer object and manipulate it's serialization with attributes, but it didn't work out.

What I really want is:

<MyClass>
    <MyClassB>
        <RandomNumber>4234</RandomNumber>
    </MyClassB>
</MyClass>

When the property Age is below 0 (zero).

---

Looks like you'll have to implement custom serialization.

Yeah, that's what I though too, but I'd like to get away without it.

In the application, the object is much more complex, and I would like to not handle the serialization myself.

Answer 1

I just discovered this. XmlSerialier looks for a XXXSpecified boolean property to determine if it should be included. This should solve the problem nicely.

[Serializable]
public class MyClass
{
  public int Age { get; set; }
  [XmlIgnore]
  public bool AgeSpecified { get { return Age >= 0; } }
  public int MyClassB { get; set; }
}

[Serializable]
public class MyClassB
{
  public int RandomNumber { get; set; }
}

Proof:

static string Serialize<T>(T obj)
{
  var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
  var builder = new StringBuilder();
  using (var writer = new StringWriter(builder))
  {
    serializer.Serialize(writer, obj);
    return builder.ToString();
  }
}

static void Main(string[] args)
{
  var withoutAge = new MyClass() { Age = -1 };
  var withAge = new MyClass() { Age = 20 };

  Serialize(withoutAge); // = <MyClass><MyClassB>0</MyClassB></MyClass>
  Serialize(withAge); // = <MyClass><Age>20</Age><MyClassB>0</MyClassB></MyClass>
}

---

Edit: Yes, it is a documented feature. See the MSDN entry for XmlSerializer

Another option is to use a special pattern to create a Boolean field recognized by the XmlSerializer, and to apply the XmlIgnoreAttribute to the field. The pattern is created in the form of propertyNameSpecified. For example, if there is a field named "MyFirstName" you would also create a field named "MyFirstNameSpecified" that instructs the XmlSerializer whether to generate the XML element named "MyFirstName".