具有内容管道的Monogame XML序列化

Question

I've been trying to implement an XML system for items in my game.. but I just cant get it to work. I am using Monogame and the content pipeline that comes with it. I've made an Inventory Class and an Item Class.

Here are the snippets from the Inventory Class (which would have the serialization):

public class Inventory
{    
    [XmlElement("Item")]
    public static List<Item> itemList;

    public Inventory (Vector2 _position)
    {
        itemList = new List<Item>();
    }

    public void LoadContent()
    {
        XmlSerializer deserializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Item));
        TextReader reader = new StreamReader("Content/Items/itemEntities.xml");
        object obj = deserializer.Deserialize(reader);
        Inventory XmlData = (Inventory)obj;
        reader.Close();
        }
}

And then I creaded an XML file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<XnaContent xmlns:ns="Microsoft.Xna.Framework">
  <Asset Type="Game.Item[]">
  <Item>
    <itemType>Weapon</itemType>
    <itemRarity>Rare</itemRarity>
    <itemID>0001</itemID>
    <positionID>
      <X>1</X>
      <Y>1</Y>
    </positionID>
    <name>The sword</name>
    <description>Description</description>
  </Item>
  <Item>
    <itemType>Equipment</itemType>
    <itemRarity>Uncommon</itemRarity>
    <itemID>0002</itemID>
    <positionID>
      <X>1</X>
      <Y>1</Y>
    </positionID>
    <name>The Item</name>
    <description>Description</description>
  </Item>
  <Item>
    <itemType>Drone</itemType>
    <itemRarity>Common</itemRarity>
    <itemID>0003</itemID>
    <positionID>
      <X>1</X>
      <Y>1</Y>
    </positionID>
    <name>The Drone</name>
    <description>Description</description>
  </Item>
  </Asset>
</XnaContent>

The problem now is that I get the following error:

error: Importer 'XmlImporter' had unexpected failure!
Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.Pipeline.InvalidContentException: Could not resolve type 'Game.Item[]'.

I have read on some other questions here that I would have to make a reference, but I just can't find a way to make that. In the solution explorer I can see references, but when I click add, I dont see anything in Projects, only standard stuff like Frameworks etc. are there. Oh and I have a constuctor with no arguments in Item class, so that should be fine.

One more thing. I have tried to write the list of items into an XML file and it worked perfectly..

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You need to add a reference to a compiled dll lib, which means, your types need to be defined in an external project.

Create another project that compiles into dll, define all your structs and classes there (at least those that need serialization), and add reference to the dll from the content manager by doing the following:

1. open content pipeline manager.
2. select root node ("Content").
3. On the properties tab click on "References".
4. Click on 'Add' and select the path to the dll file you generated from the other project.

I recently asked a similar question on the monogame community and currently its impossible to serialize types from your own project into / from xml without using another project that builds into a dll.