Xml Serialization - create object hierarchy to achieve predefined xml structure

Question

I need to create the following XML and want to create it via XmlSerialization so the data itself can be generated dynamically via objects.

<chart>
  <series>
    <value xid="0">Not Submitted: 20</value>
    <value xid="1">Submitted: 11</value>
    <value xid="2">Rejected: 2</value>
  </series>
  <graphs>
    <graph gid="0">
      <value xid="0" color="#FF0000">20</value>
      <value xid="1" color="#00FF00">11</value>
      <value xid="2" color="#0000FF">2</value>
    </graph>
    <graph gid="1">
      <value xid="0" color="#FF0000">24</value>
      <value xid="1" color="#00FF00">7</value>
      <value xid="2" color="#0000FF">4</value>
    </graph>
  </graphs>
</chart>

I originally came up with this but it doesn't completely work (in fact, some of it is just plain wrong). Any ideas?

// the //chart/series/value elements with attributes
internal class BarChartSeriesValue
{
    [XmlAttribute(AttributeName = "xid")]
    public int Xid { get; set; }
    [XmlText]
    public int Value { get; set; }
}
// the //chart/graphs/graph/value elements with attributes
internal class BarChartGraphValue
{
    [XmlAttribute(AttributeName = "xid")]
    public int Xid { get; set; }
    [XmlAttribute(AttributeName = "color")]
    public string Color { get; set; }
    [XmlText]
    public int Value { get; set; }
}
// the //chart/series collection of values
internal class BarChartSeries : List<BarChartSeriesValue>
{
    [XmlElement(ElementName = "series")]
    public List<BarChartSeriesValue> Series { get; set; } 
}
// the //chart/graphs/graph collection of values
internal class BarChartGraph : List<BarChartGraphValue>
{
    [XmlAttribute(AttributeName = "gid")]
    public int GraphId { get; set; }
}
// the //chart/graphs collection of graph elements
internal class BarChartData
{
    [XmlElement(ElementName = "series")]
    public BarChartSeries Series { get; set; }
    [XmlElement(ElementName = "graphs")]
    public BarChartGraph Graphs { get; set; }
}

EDIT - 8/22 11:24pm PST
When I said it was just plain wrong, all I had to do was look at it and realize that the data structures wouldn't map to the desired XML. The part that was really throwing me was the nested graphs structure.
I previously did not know about generating classes from XML via the XSD. It looks very useful and helpful.
Thanks to all who provided solutions

Answer 1

Here is a quick project.

I use this class or a variant of it: Generic XML Serializer Class for C# and an XML Serialization usage example

Then here is the code you need.

[XmlRoot("chart")]
public class Chart
{
    [XmlElement("series")]
    public Series Series { get; set; }

    [XmlArray("graphs")]
    [XmlArrayItem("graph")]
    public Graphs Graphs { get; set; }
}

public class Series
{
    [XmlElement("value")]
    public List<SeriesValue> Values { get; set; }
}

public class Graphs : List<Graph>
{
}

public class Graph
{
    [XmlAttribute("gid")]
    public int Gid { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("value")]
    public List<GraphValue> Values { get; set; }
}

public class GraphValue
{
    [XmlAttribute("xid")]
    public int Xid { get; set; }

    [XmlAttribute("color")]
    public String Color { get; set; }

    [XmlText]
    public int Value { get; set; }

}

public class SeriesValue
{
    [XmlAttribute("xid")]
    public int Xid { get; set; }

    [XmlText]
    public String Text { get; set; }
}

Here is how to use it.

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        Chart c = new Chart();
        c.Series = new Series();
        c.Series.Values = new List<SeriesValue>();
        c.Series.Values.Add(new SeriesValue() { Xid = 0, Text = "Not Submitted: 20" });
        c.Series.Values.Add(new SeriesValue() { Xid = 1, Text = "Submitted: 11" });
        c.Series.Values.Add(new SeriesValue() { Xid = 2, Text = "Rejected: 2" });
        c.Graphs = new Graphs();
        c.Graphs.Add(new Graph() { Gid = 0 });
        c.Graphs[0].Values = new List<GraphValue>();
        c.Graphs[0].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 0, Color = "#FF0000", Value = 20 });
        c.Graphs[0].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 1, Color = "#00FF00", Value = 11 });
        c.Graphs[0].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 2, Color = "#0000FF", Value = 2 });
        c.Graphs.Add(new Graph() { Gid = 1 });
        c.Graphs[1].Values = new List<GraphValue>();
        c.Graphs[1].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 0, Color = "#FF0000", Value = 24 });
        c.Graphs[1].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 1, Color = "#00FF00", Value = 7 });
        c.Graphs[1].Values.Add(new GraphValue() { Xid = 2, Color = "#0000FF", Value = 4 });

        // Make sure it is Serializable
        Serializer.SerializeToXML<Chart>(c, "chart.xml");


        // Make sure it is Deserializable
        Chart c2 = Serializer.DeserializeFromXML<Chart>("chart.xml");
    }
}

Answer 2

You can generate the class using XSD.exe which (i think) ships as part of visual studio.

If you open up Visual Studio Command Prompt you can access it.

1. Create a physical XML file on your harddrive somewhere. (I used your xml and crated sample.xml)

2. Open up Visual Studio Command Prompt

3. Navigate to the directory

4. type 'xsd sample.xml' (without the quotes) this will generate sample.xsd

5. type in 'xsd sample.xsd /c' (without the quotes) this will generate sample.cs

Setting environment for using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 x86 tools.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC>G:

G:\>xsd sample.xml
Microsoft (R) Xml Schemas/DataTypes support utility
[Microsoft (R) .NET Framework, Version 2.0.50727.3038]
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Writing file 'G:\sample.xsd'.

G:\>xsd sample.xsd /c
Microsoft (R) Xml Schemas/DataTypes support utility
[Microsoft (R) .NET Framework, Version 2.0.50727.3038]
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Writing file 'G:\sample.cs'.

G:\>

Generates:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xs:schema id="chart" xmlns="" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:msdata="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xml-msdata">
  <xs:element name="value" nillable="true">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:simpleContent msdata:ColumnName="value_Text" msdata:Ordinal="1">
        <xs:extension base="xs:string">
          <xs:attribute name="xid" type="xs:string" />
          <xs:attribute name="color" type="xs:string" />
        </xs:extension>
      </xs:simpleContent>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="chart" msdata:IsDataSet="true" msdata:Locale="en-US">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
        <xs:element ref="value" />
        <xs:element name="series">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element ref="value" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element name="graphs">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element name="graph" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xs:complexType>
                  <xs:sequence>
                    <xs:element ref="value" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
                  </xs:sequence>
                  <xs:attribute name="gid" type="xs:string" />
                </xs:complexType>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
      </xs:choice>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
</xs:schema>

And sample.cs

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// <auto-generated>
//     This code was generated by a tool.
//     Runtime Version:2.0.50727.5446
//
//     Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior and will be lost if
//     the code is regenerated.
// </auto-generated>
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

using System.Xml.Serialization;

// 
// This source code was auto-generated by xsd, Version=2.0.50727.3038.
// 


/// <remarks/>
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "2.0.50727.3038")]
[System.SerializableAttribute()]
[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType=true)]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlRootAttribute(Namespace="", IsNullable=true)]
public partial class value {

    private string xidField;

    private string colorField;

    private string valueField;

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlAttributeAttribute()]
    public string xid {
        get {
            return this.xidField;
        }
        set {
            this.xidField = value;
        }
    }

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlAttributeAttribute()]
    public string color {
        get {
            return this.colorField;
        }
        set {
            this.colorField = value;
        }
    }

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTextAttribute()]
    public string Value {
        get {
            return this.valueField;
        }
        set {
            this.valueField = value;
        }
    }
}

/// <remarks/>
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "2.0.50727.3038")]
[System.SerializableAttribute()]
[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType=true)]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlRootAttribute(Namespace="", IsNullable=false)]
public partial class chart {

    private object[] itemsField;

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("graphs", typeof(chartGraphs), Form=System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchemaForm.Unqualified)]
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("series", typeof(value[]), Form=System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchemaForm.Unqualified)]
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("value", typeof(value), IsNullable=true)]
    public object[] Items {
        get {
            return this.itemsField;
        }
        set {
            this.itemsField = value;
        }
    }
}

/// <remarks/>
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "2.0.50727.3038")]
[System.SerializableAttribute()]
[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType=true)]
public partial class chartGraphs {

    private chartGraphsGraph[] graphField;

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("graph", Form=System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchemaForm.Unqualified)]
    public chartGraphsGraph[] graph {
        get {
            return this.graphField;
        }
        set {
            this.graphField = value;
        }
    }
}

/// <remarks/>
[System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("xsd", "2.0.50727.3038")]
[System.SerializableAttribute()]
[System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThroughAttribute()]
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategoryAttribute("code")]
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlTypeAttribute(AnonymousType=true)]
public partial class chartGraphsGraph {

    private value[] valueField;

    private string gidField;

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlElementAttribute("value", IsNullable=true)]
    public value[] value {
        get {
            return this.valueField;
        }
        set {
            this.valueField = value;
        }
    }

    /// <remarks/>
    [System.Xml.Serialization.XmlAttributeAttribute()]
    public string gid {
        get {
            return this.gidField;
        }
        set {
            this.gidField = value;
        }
    }
}

It's a little bit messy but saves you a lot of time and effort.

Answer 3

Sample Xml :

<chart>
  <series>
    <value xid="0">0</value>
    <value xid="0">0</value>
    <value xid="0">0</value>
  </series>
  <graphs>
    <graph gid="1">
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
    </graph>
    <graph gid="1">
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
    </graph>
    <graph gid="1">
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
      <value xid="0" color="0">0</value>
    </graph>
  </graphs>
</chart>

Class:

[XmlRoot("chart")]
public class BarChartSeriesEntity
{
    [XmlElement("series")]
    public BarChartSeriesValue[] SeriesValues { get; set; }
    [XmlElement("graphs")]
    public BarChartGraphsValue[] GraphsValues { get; set; }

    public class BarChartSeriesValue
    {
        [XmlElement("value")]
        public SeriesValueEntity[] Values { get; set; }
    }

    public class SeriesValueEntity
    {
        [XmlAttribute("xid")]
        public string Xid { get; set; }
        [XmlText]
        public string Value { get; set; }
    }


    public class BarChartGraphsValue
    {
        [XmlElement("graph")]
        public BarChartGraphValue[] Graphs { get; set; }
    }

    public class BarChartGraphValue
    {
        [XmlAttribute("gid")]
        public string Gid { get; set; }
        [XmlElement("value")]
        public GraphValueEntity[] Values { get; set; }
    }

    public class GraphValueEntity
    {
        [XmlAttribute("xid")]
        public string Xid { get; set; }
        [XmlAttribute("color")]
        public string Color { get; set; }
        [XmlText]
        public string Value { get; set; }
    }
}