Serializing multiple objects into one binary file

Question

I have an MDI application with a treeview control docked to the left and five classes containing the information of the tree nodes i.e Editors for that kind of node.

• How should I serialize the application such that all the objects are serialized into a single binary file?

• How to store my resources in it so a single file can be sent to all the machines?

Thanks.

Answer 1

If you wish to serialize multiple objects into one file, just simply combine them all into one object.

For example, you have a lot of objects need to serialize like these:

Teacher t = new Teacher();

Student[] students = new Student[] { ... };

Tool blackboard = new Tool();

...

And all of these objects should be serializable.

You can create a container to contain those object, and serialize it.

[Serializable]
class School
{
    Teacher t;

    Student[] students;

    Tool blackboard;
}

Now, you just need to serialize the school object into one binary file.