XML Serialization to use empty array instead of NULL

Question

I have a property

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

which is initialized as string[0] at constructor.

If I XML serialize and deserialize a default instance of this object, the property is NULL.

How can I tell the XML Serializer to use an empty array instead of NULL for this property?

You can always implement the {get; set;} so if null is ever set (or attempts to return null in the getter) it instead uses an empty array. EDIT: Just be sure if you do the check on the get to also store the empty array in the backing field rather than just returning a new instance. — Chris Sinclair
– Chris Sinclair, Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 14:44
@ChrisSinclair: I have hundred of such properties, is there a way without manual properties? — Herman Schoenfeld
– Herman Schoenfeld, Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 14:45
Not that I know of. You can create a separate utility class that will (likely via reflection) find all arrays (and collections?) that are null and set them to a new instance of their appropriate empty collection. Have it run through this utility when calling your central deserialization method. — Chris Sinclair
– Chris Sinclair, Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 14:54

dba · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-09 06:26:24Z

8

5 years later... :) Replacing Array with List<> did the trick for me.

[XmlElement (IsNullable = false)]
public List<string> Emails {get;set;}

answered Apr 9, 2019 at 6:26

dba

1,2151 gold badge15 silver badges23 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Answer 1