在C＃中使用相同的方法序列化不同的类

Question

I have different classes that are serializeable.

I have a method to do so which looks like this:

public void Serialize(List<ClassName1> CT, string Address)
{
    ...
    XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<ClassName1>));
    ...
}

In order to serialize ClassName1 i can use this function, but i cannto use it for a second class named ClassName2. THe classes are different, but both are serializeable.

I could now copy and paste the Method and just change the classes but i feel that this is stupid, since the only difference with the methods are the names.

I tried to do it like this:

public void Serialize(List<object> CT, string Address)
{
    ...
    XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<object>));
    ...
}

Since i thought everything is an "object" in c# but when i use it i get the "cannot convert" error.

xml.Serialize(listNumber, Address);

I have the feeling this can be solved with generics, but i never worked with generic of any kind so i have absolutely no idea if and how it should work.

Answer 1

This is an ideal usage of generics:

public void Serialize<T>(List<T> CT, string Address)
{
    ...
    XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(List<T>));
    ...
}

and in most cases you won't even have to change the calling code - the compiler will infer the generic type argument automatically.

Answer 2

Since the Serialize method of the XmlSerializer has an object parameter for the object to serialize, just do the same.

public void Serialize(object obj, string Address)
{
    ...
    XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(obj.GetType());
    ...
}

There seems to be no advantage in using generics unless your methods does other things with the list. In this case use Marc Gravell's approach.