Xml Deserializer to deserialize any data type

Question

Because I haven't found a better way to handle my configuration, I have been using XmlSerializer to serialize a Dictionary (explain that later) containing all the things I want saved. Now that I have gotten more crafty, I have started to build more complex data types. The only problem is that now when I serialize the object, it throws an error because its not a primitive data type. If I make a new serializer for every value, I then cannot load the object back. Is there an easy way around this? Or an easy library for saving and loading any data type.

The Serializable Dictionary. I'm using <string,object> for <T,S>

public void ReadXml (System.Xml.XmlReader reader)
{
 try {
  XmlSerializer deserializerKeys = new XmlSerializer( typeof(T) );
  XmlSerializer deserializerValues = new XmlSerializer( typeof(S) );
  reader.Read();
  while (true) {
   T key = (T)deserializerKeys.Deserialize(reader);
   S val = (S)deserializerValues.Deserialize(reader); // fail :(
   this.Add( key, val );
  }
 } catch ( Exception e ) {
  Console.WriteLine( e.Message );
  Console.WriteLine( e.StackTrace );
 }
}


public void WriteXml (System.Xml.XmlWriter writer)
{
    // ONE OF THE serializerValues is always commented out
    // Im just showing the two ways I have done this
 XmlSerializer serializerKeys = new XmlSerializer( typeof( T ) );
    // this works for loading but not for saving >.>
 XmlSerializer serializerValues = new XmlSerializer( typeof( S ) );
 foreach ( KeyValuePair<T,S> pair in this ) {
        // this way works with the saving but fails with loading
  XmlSerializer serializerValues = new XmlSerializer(pair.Value.GetType());
  serializerKeys.Serialize( writer, pair.Key );
  serializerValues.Serialize( writer, pair.Value );
 }
}

Then I have another class that is derived from List<SimpleRegex>, it holds all the SimpleRegex objects and a "selected regex". The SimpleRegex is just a class that holds a simpler regex syntax and provides the same sort of methods a normal regex would(match, replace, etc.). That way, normal people can use it. This RegexCollection (the List<SimpleRegex>) is not primitive. That is my problem. Basically, all I want to do is save and load any data type.

Answer 1

Using XML Serialization have some conditions:

• It can't serialize Multidimensional arrays
• The class which is going to serialize should have a constructor without any argument.

Any data type will not be serialize with XML Serializer...

Use Binary Serializer

public void SerializeObject(string filename, Object o)
{
    Stream stream = File.Open(filename, FileMode.Create);
    BinaryFormatter bFormatter = new BinaryFormatter();
    bFormatter.Serialize(stream, o);
    stream.Close();
}

and binary deserializer

    public object DeserializeObject(string filename)
    {
        object o;
        Stream stream = File.Open(filename, FileMode.Open);
        BinaryFormatter bFormatter = new BinaryFormatter();
        o = (ObjectToSerialize)bFormatter.Deserialize(stream);
        stream.Close();
        return o;
    }

Answer 2

Just make the properties/variables!!!! and XmlSerialize the Config class.