Convert complex xml file to C# objects using serialization (?)

Question

Suppose I have this XML file:

 <functionList>
<function name="a" id="11" >
  <InputParameters>
   <Value>
    <Range>
      <DiscreteRange>
        <DiscreteValue value="0" description="Stream 1" />
        <DiscreteValue value="1" description="Stream 2" />
      </DiscreteRange>
    </Range>
   </Value>
  </InputParameters>
  <ReturnValues>
    <Status type="BYTE"  description="0 successful, error otherwise">
      <Range>
        <SequenceRange min="0x00" max="0xFF"/>
      </Range>
    </Status>
    <Value type="UWORD32"  description="Stream select setting">
      <Range>
        <DiscreteRange>
          <DiscreteValue value="0" description="Stream 1" />
          <DiscreteValue value="1" description="Stream 2" />
        </DiscreteRange>
      </Range>
    </Value>
  </ReturnValues>
</functions>

<function name="b" id="12" >
  <InputParameters>
   <Value>
    <Range>
      <SequenceRange min="0x00" max="0xFF"/>
    </Range>
   </Value>
  </InputParameters>
  <ReturnValues>
    <Status type="BYTE"  description="0 successful, error otherwise">
      <Range>
        <SequenceRange min="0x00" max="0xFF"/>
      </Range>
    </Status>
    <Value type="UWORD32"  description="Stream select setting">
      <Range>
        <DiscreteRange>
          <DiscreteValue value="0" description="Stream 1" />
          <DiscreteValue value="1" description="Stream 2" />
        </DiscreteRange>
      </Range>
    </Value>
  </ReturnValues>
</functions>

<function name="c"  id="13"  >
  <InputParameters></InputParameters>
  <ReturnValues>
    <Status type="BYTE"  description="0 successful, error otherwise">
      <Range>
        <SequenceRange min="0x00" max="0xFF"/>
      </Range>
    </Status>
  </ReturnValues>
</function>

In general my XML Structural Look Like this:

 <functionList  >
<function  name=""  id="">
  <InputParameters>
    <!--Optional -->
    <Value type="" description="">
      <Range>

        <!--OR-->
        <DiscreteRange>
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <!--...-->
        </DiscreteRange>

        <!--OR-->
        <SequenceRange min="" max=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <StringRange characters=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <CharRange/>
      </Range>
    </Value>
    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
         <!-- </Value>-->

    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
    <!-- </Value>-->

    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
    <!-- </Value>-->
         <!--...-->

  </InputParameters>

  <ReturnValues>
    <Status type=""  description="">
      <Range>

        <!--OR-->
        <DiscreteRange>
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <!--...-->
        </DiscreteRange>

        <!--OR-->
        <SequenceRange min="" max=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <StringRange characters=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <CharRange/>
      </Range>
    </Status >

    <!--Optional -->
    <Value type="" description="">
      <Range>

        <!--OR-->
        <DiscreteRange>
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <DiscreteValue value="" description="" />
          <!--...-->
        </DiscreteRange>

        <!--OR-->
        <SequenceRange min="" max=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <StringRange characters=""/>

        <!--OR-->
        <CharRange/>
      </Range>
    </Value>
    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
    <!-- </Value>-->

    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
    <!-- </Value>-->

    <!-- <Value type="" description="">...-->
    <!-- </Value>-->
    <!--...-->

  </ReturnValues>
</function>

<!--function...-->

As far as I understand using a built in C# deserialize does not work, because There is no a fixed structure to the file.

Does anyone have an idea how I create a hierarchy C# objects (deserialize) base on this structure?

If it's possible I'd glad to see an example, or maybe a tutorial how to build such a thing.

Answer 1

Since you don't have a scheme definition file you could code it by yourself. XmlDocument works great here.

Its not a working example. But you will get the clue.

public class Document
{
    public static Document Create(Stream input)
    {
        var doc = new XmlDocument();
        doc.Load(input);
        return new Document(doc);
    }

    public class Function
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }

        public string Id { get; set; }

        public Function(XmlNode node)
        {
            Name = node.Attributes["name"].ToString();
            Id = node.Attributes["id"].ToString();
        }

        // Return values

        // Parameters
    }

    public List<Function> Functions { get; set; }

    public Document(XmlDocument doc)
    {
        Functions = new List<Function>();
        var list = doc.GetElementsByTagName("functionlist");
        XmlNode root = list[0];

        XmlNodeList children = root.ChildNodes;

        foreach (var child in children)
        {
            Functions.Add(new Function(child));
        }
    }
}

It is basically traversing XmlNode in XmlNodeLists fetching the Attributes and InnerValues of those nodes.