如何定义对象属性的类型

Question

When I get an object with different property types I need to define a type of each object property and depending on it - serialize each property with different method. I know how to serialize object with different type, but how can I said that this property should be used with this method and another with another method I don't know.

Here is an example of my class:

[XmlType("Person")] // define Type

public class Person
{
    [XmlElement("PropertyType")]
    public PropertyType PropertyType { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("ID")]
    public string ID { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("Name")]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("City")]
    public string City { get; set; }

    [XmlElement("Age")]
    public Dictionary<object, object> Age { get; set; }
}

here I serialize int,string, List properties

public static string XmlSerializeUsualTypes(Object item) {}

here I serialize Dictionary properties

public static string XmlSerializeDictionaryTypes(Object item) {}

Answer 1

Inherit Dictionary<K,V> and implement the IXmlSerializable interface using your XmlSerializeDictionaryTypes method.

public class MyXmlDictionary<K, V> : Dictionary<K,V>, IXmlSerializable
{
    // … implement IXmlSerializable methods here …
}

When the XmlSerializer encounters a property implementing IXmlSerializable (eg when serializing the Person object) it will call IXmlSerializable.WriteXml (implemented on the poperty's type, eg MyXmlDictionary<K,V> in our case) to serialize that property.