How to Deserialize and Map XML Nodes in C# Using Xml.Serialization

Learn how to effectively deserialize and map repeating XML nodes to object properties in C# with practical examples and explanations.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Deserialize and map each repeating XML node to an object's property using C# Xml.Serialization library

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Deserializing and Mapping XML Nodes to Object Properties in C#

When working with XML data in C# , you may sometimes encounter scenarios where you need to deserialize repeating nodes and map them to properties in your object model. This can be particularly challenging when the XML structure is dynamic or when properties vary in type. In this post, we will address this common issue and provide a clear solution using the C# Xml.Serialization library.

The Problem

You have an XML structure that looks something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Your goal is to deserialize this XML into a target class with specific properties:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You need to ensure that each <field> element's name is correctly mapped to its corresponding property in the class, and that the values are assigned appropriately.

The Solution

Step 1: Define Your Classes

We start with a simple class to represent the XML's structure:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This class allows us to deserialize the XML into an array of Field objects. Each Field contains a field_name and a field_value.

Step 2: Deserialize the XML

Now, we read the XML and start deserializing it. The following code snippet illustrates how to accomplish this using XmlReader:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Code

XmlReaderSettings: We initialize the XmlReaderSettings to ignore whitespace, which helps clean up the parsing process.

Using Block: We utilize a using statement to handle the XmlReader, ensuring proper resource management.

Reading the XML: We continually read to the next field_name and retrieve both the name and the corresponding value.

Mapping Properties: We check if the property exists in some_class. If it does, we read the value and convert it to the appropriate type before setting it.

Conclusion

By following this structured approach, you can effectively deserialize XML data with repeating nodes and map them to an object's properties in C# . This solution not only addresses the specific problem but also provides a template that you can adapt for various XML structures and object models.

Final Thoughts

Deserializing XML can initially seem daunting, but with a clear understanding of your data structure and systematic code, you can achieve your goal efficiently. If you encounter different XML formats or property types in the future, consider extending the type handling within the mapping logic.

Feel free to reach out with questions or share your experiences with XML deserialization in C# !