WCF Data Transfer & Serialization

Part1: Data ContractsSankarsan Bose

2nd November 2009

Data Transfer In Service Serializers in WCF Data Contracts Known Types Serializing Collections

Agenda

Data Transfer In Service

Client

Proxy

Host Process

Service

Serialize

Serialize

Deserialize

Deserialize

Serializers In WCF

Data Contract Serializer

• Converts .NET types to XML• Default Serializer in WCF• System.Runtime.Serializatio

n.DataContractSerializer class

• Works on DataContract & DataMember attributes

XML Serializer

• Converts .NET types to XML• Provides more control over

resultant XML attributes• Supported by ASMX

services

Data Contract

Will this class be properly serialized in WCF by DataContractSerializer ??

public sealed class DataContractSerializer : XmlObjectSerializer

DataContractAttribute is not mandatory

Data Contract

Default Serialization ; No fine grained control

Data ContractCustom Namespace

Serialized XML

Data Contract Data Contract Properties

Name – Name of the type in XML Schema

Namespace – XML Namespace

IsReference – To preserve object reference info

Data Contract

Demo

Data MemberData Member Properties

Name – Name of the element in XML Schema

Order – Order of the XML Element

IsRequired – Must be present

EmitDefaultValue – Emits a default value

Data Member

Demo

Known TypeBase Type is used method signature

Here Serializer needs additional data about the concrete class

This is done by KnownType attribute

Known Type

Demo

Serializing CollectionsCollections - Types that implement the IEnumerable interface, including arrays and generic collections

Dictionary collections - Types that implement the IDictionary or Generic IDictionary interfaces.

Serialization can be customized using CollectionDataContractAttribute

Serializing Collections

Demo

Thank You