How do I model a dynamic XML element in a C# serialization class?

Question

I have an XML document where one of the element nodes can be dynamic, or of any XML structure. I'm having a difficult time modeling the corresponding C# serialization class.

For example I have something like this in my C# class:

[XmlAnyElement]
public XmlNode Value { get; set; }

Where XmlNode is System.Xml.XmlNode.

A few notes:

• I want value to be an XML file I'm loading via Linq's XDocument (minus the XML header tag)
  • Though I don't see a way to convert an System.Xml.Linq.XNode to System.Xml.XmlNode
• I don't want the result XML to have an element <Value>. I want it to be the root element of the XML document I loaded.

Answer 1

I figured this out. I kept the property declaration the same and created this helper class:

public static class XmlDocumentHelper
{
    public static XmlDocument FromXDocument(XDocument document)
    {
        var result = new XmlDocument();
        using (XmlReader reader = document.CreateReader())
        {
            result.Load(reader);
        }
        return result;
    }
}

So Value is set like this: Value = XmlDocumentHelper.FromXDocument(document);