XmlAttribute/XmlText cannot be used to encode complex type

Question

I want to serialize a class Ticket into xml. I get the error :"XmlAttribute/XmlText cannot be used to encode complex type" because of my customfield class.

This is how the xml for customfields should look like ( the attribute array is nesseray but I don't understand how to create it):

<custom_fields type="array">
<custom_field name="Standby Reason" id="6">
<value/>
</custom_field>
<custom_field name="Close Date" id="84">

Class Ticket

public class Ticket
{
    [XmlElement("custom_fields")]
    public CustomFields Custom_fields { get; set; }

Class CustomFields

[Serializable]
public class CustomFields
{
    [XmlAttribute("array")]
    public List<CustomField> custom_field { get; set; }

Class CustomField

[Serializable]
public class CustomField
{
    [XmlIgnore]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [XmlElement]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [XmlElement]
    public string Value { get; set; }

Serialize Method

public string Serialize(object obj)
{
    var nsSerializer = new XmlSerializerNamespaces();
    nsSerializer.Add(String.Empty, String.Empty);

    var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Ticket), String.Empty);

    using (StringWriter writer = new StringWriter())
    {
        ExtendedXmlTextWriter xmlTextWriter = new ExtendedXmlTextWriter(writer);
        serializer.Serialize(xmlTextWriter, obj, nsSerializer);

        //return writer.ToString();

        XElement root = new XElement("custom_fields", new XAttribute("type", "array"),
            new XElement("custom_field",
                new XAttribute("name", "Standby Reason"),
                new XAttribute("id", 6)
                ), new XElement("value"),
                    new XElement("custom_field",
                        new XAttribute("name", "Close Date"),
                        new XAttribute("id", 84)
                        )
                        );

        return (writer.ToString() + root.ToString());
    }

L.B · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-16 17:07:18Z

5

Sometimes Linq To Xml can be very helpful

XElement root = new XElement("ticket",
                        new XElement("custom_fields",
                            new XAttribute("type", "array"),
                            new XElement("custom_field",
                                new XAttribute("name", "Standby Reason"),
                                new XAttribute("id", 6)
                            ),
                            new XElement("value"),
                            new XElement("custom_field",
                                new XAttribute("name", "Close Date"),
                                new XAttribute("id", 84)
                            )
                        )
                );

string xml = root.ToString();

OUTPUT:

<ticket>
  <custom_fields type="array">
    <custom_field name="Standby Reason" id="6" />
    <value />
    <custom_field name="Close Date" id="84" />
  </custom_fields>
</ticket>

answered Nov 16, 2012 at 17:07

L.B

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4 Comments

Conrad C Over a year ago

Thank you, but the thing is that my class Ticket is large an contains other elements. I use another class inheriting "ISerializer" which does the convertion. Is there a way I can add the linq part to it?

L.B Over a year ago

@ConradC How about using other part in Linq? root.Add(new XElement(...)); etc....

Conrad C Over a year ago

I understand the principle, but I need to add the other part within <ticket>. I tried this but no sucess: new XElement(writer), new XElement("custom_fields", new XAttribute("type", "array"),

L.B Over a year ago

@ConradC XElement.Parse, XElement.Load, but if possible don't mix XmlSerializer and Linq2Xml

FiftiN · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-16 16:57:18Z

1

Class Ticket

public class Ticket
{
    [XmlElement("custom_fields")]
    public CustomFields Custom_fields { get; set; }

Class CustomFields

[Serializable]
public class CustomFields
{
    [XmlArray("array"), XmlArrayItem("custom_field")]
    public List<CustomField> custom_field { get; set; }

Class CustomField

[Serializable]
public class CustomField
{
    [XmlAttribute("name")]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [XmlAttribute("id")]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("value")]
    public string Value { get; set; }

XML:

<ticket>
   <custom_fields>
     <array>
        <custom_field name="Standby Reason" id="6"><value /></custom_field>
        <custom_field name="Close Date" id="84"><value /></custom_field>
     </array>
   </custom_fields>
</ticket>

answered Nov 16, 2012 at 16:57

FiftiN

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1 Comment

Conrad C Over a year ago

It does not work. I mentionned above that I need the attribute array like so <custom_fields type="array">. Not a subelement.

FiftiN · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-16 16:39:04Z

0

List<CustomField> can not be XML attribute.

answered Nov 16, 2012 at 16:39

FiftiN

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3 Comments

Conrad C Over a year ago

What is the way around? How can I serialize my class?

FiftiN Over a year ago

Insted [XmlAttribute("array")] write [XmlElement("array")]. In XML file you should use tag "array".

FiftiN Over a year ago

Sorry, insted XmlAttribute("array") use XmlArray("array")

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