Example of serializing object

[TobbeK]

I need to serialize items populated in a listview.

Can anyone provide me with some simple example how to do that.
No matter if it is binary or XML.

[DangerDev]

Hi,
See this and this.

[sknake]

Are you wanting to serialize items included in the ListViewItem's .Tag property, or serialize the entire listview.items collection?

[TobbeK]

Are you wanting to serialize items included in the ListViewItem's .Tag property, or serialize the entire listview.items collection?

I really don't what's best. The listview items inputs comes from textboxes, and I have tried to approach serialization from textboxes as well. Maybe I need some array doing that. I can put up the entire testcode if you like.

[DangerDev]

Just take the item of listview in a array and the serialize it.

[TobbeK]

Here's my attempt doing a binary serialization. Together with a SaveFileDialog. Doesn't really work, but may show the way of thinking.

private void sparaSomToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // create dialog box enabling user to save file
            SaveFileDialog fileChooser = new SaveFileDialog();
            DialogResult result = fileChooser.ShowDialog();
            string fileName; // name of file to save data

            string NickName = this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].ToString();

            FileStream fs = new FileStream(@"C:\\savebinary.txt", FileMode.Create);
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();
            bf.Serialize(fs, NickName);
            fs.Close();

        }

[TobbeK]

I have added a array for the items, a file is created, but it not seems to contain all of the listview rows

ArrayList animals = new ArrayList();
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[0].ToString());
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[1].SubItems[1].ToString());
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[1].SubItems[2].ToString());
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[1].SubItems[3].ToString());
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[1].SubItems[4].ToString());
            animals.Add(lstListAnimals.Items[1].SubItems[5].ToString());

            FileStream fsWrite = File.Open(@"C:\\Info.txt", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite);
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();

            bf.Serialize(fsWrite, animals);
            fsWrite.Close();

[DangerDev]

What is the error coming?
What actually you want to do with data after serialization?

[TobbeK]

No errors, even if it's binary I can only find one post (row) in the txt file. I am missing something when trying to serialize all of the posts (rows) in listview.

The code is for my own training purpose, and later I want to deserialize back to the listview. And I also need to create a similar control for xml serializing.

[TobbeK]

I am still not sure this is the correct way saving listview items into a binary file. Something is saved, but probably not all of the listview items (rows).

private void sparaSomToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // create dialog box enabling user to save file
            SaveFileDialog DialogSave = new SaveFileDialog();
            DialogSave.DefaultExt = "txt";
            DialogSave.Filter = "Text file (*.txt)|*.txt|XML file (*.xml)|*.xml|All files (*.*)|*.*";
            DialogSave.RestoreDirectory = true;
            DialogSave.Title = "Save as";
            if (DialogSave.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                SaveFile(DialogSave.FileName);
            }

        }

        private void SaveFile(string fileName)
        {

            ArrayList animalList = new ArrayList();
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].ToString());
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].SubItems[1].ToString());
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].SubItems[2].ToString());
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].SubItems[3].ToString());
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].SubItems[4].ToString());
            animalList.Add(this.lstListAnimals.Items[0].SubItems[5].ToString());

            FileStream fsWrite = File.Open(fileName, FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite);
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();
            bf.Serialize(fsWrite, animalList);
            fsWrite.Close();
        }

[sknake]

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using System.IO;

namespace daniweb
{
  public partial class frmListView : Form
  {
    public frmListView()
    {
      InitializeComponent();
    }

    private void frmListView_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      //Gives us random data to play with
      listView1.BeginUpdate();
      SetupColumns();
      for (int i1 = 0; i1 < 10; i1++)
      {
        ListViewItem item = listView1.Items.Add(i1.ToString("F0"));
        for (int i2 = 0; i2 < 8; i2++)
        {
          item.SubItems.Add(i1.ToString("F0") + "|" + (i2+1).ToString("F0"));
        }
      }
      listView1.EndUpdate();
      listView1.Invalidate();
    }

    private void SetupColumns()
    {
      for (int i1 = 0; i1 < 9; i1++)
      {
        listView1.Columns.Add("Col" + i1.ToString("F0"));
      }
    }

    private void SaveListView()
    {
      List<SerizledListViewItem> lst = new List<SerizledListViewItem>();
      foreach (ListViewItem lvi in listView1.Items)
      {
        lst.Add(new SerizledListViewItem(lvi));
      }
      SerizledListViewItem.SaveCollection(@"C:\test.xml", lst);
    }

    private void LoadListView()
    {
      ClearListView();
      List<SerizledListViewItem> lst = SerizledListViewItem.FromFile(@"C:\test.xml");
      foreach (SerizledListViewItem serialItem in lst)
      {
        ListViewItem item = listView1.Items.Add(serialItem.Text);
        foreach (string serialSubItem in serialItem.SubItems)
        {
          item.SubItems.Add(serialSubItem);
        }
      }
    }

    private void ClearListView()
    {
      listView1.Clear();
      SetupColumns();
    }

    private void buttonSave_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      SaveListView();
    }

    private void buttonClear_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      ClearListView();
    }

    private void buttonLoad_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      LoadListView();
    }
  }

  public sealed class SerizledListViewItem
  {
    private List<string> _subItems;

    public string Text { get; set; }
    public List<string> SubItems
    {
      get { return _subItems; }
      set
      {
        if (value == null) return;
        _subItems = value;
      }
    }
    public SerizledListViewItem()
    {
      _subItems = new List<string>();
    }
    public SerizledListViewItem(ListViewItem Item)
      : this()
    {
      this.Text = Item.Text;
      //Notice we start @ 1 here, the first item is a subitem
      for (int i1 = 1; i1 < Item.SubItems.Count; i1++)
      {
        this.SubItems.Add(Item.SubItems[i1].Text);
      }
    }
    public static List<SerizledListViewItem> FromFile(string FileName)
    {
      if (!File.Exists(FileName))
        throw new FileNotFoundException("Not found", FileName);

      XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<SerizledListViewItem>));
      using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(File.ReadAllBytes(FileName)))
      {
        return (List<SerizledListViewItem>)ser.Deserialize(ms);
      }
    }
    public static void SaveCollection(string FileName, List<SerizledListViewItem> lst)
    {
      byte[] xmlData;
      XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<SerizledListViewItem>));

      using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
      {
        ser.Serialize(ms, lst);
        ms.Position = 0;
        ms.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
        xmlData = ms.ToArray();
      }
      if (File.Exists(FileName))
        File.Delete(FileName);
      File.WriteAllBytes(FileName, xmlData);
    }
  }
}