CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#.netwcfserialization
NotDan
NotDan

Reputation: 32233

How can I ignore a property when serializing using the DataContractSerializer?

I am using .NET 3.5SP1 and DataContractSerializer to serialize a class. In SP1, they changed the behavior so that you don't have to include DataContract/DataMember attributes on the class and it will just serialize the entire thing. This is the behavior I am using, but now I need to ignore one property from the serializer. I know that one way to do this is to add the DataContract attribute to the class, and just put the DataMember attribute on all of the members that I want to include. I have reasons, though, that this will not work for me.

So my question is, is there an attribute or something I can use to make the DataContractSerializer ignore a property?

Upvotes: 150

Views: 214839

Answers (5)

Paul Ruane
Paul Ruane

Reputation: 38620

You might be looking for IgnoreDataMemberAttribute.

Upvotes: 191

Cris Valenzuela
Cris Valenzuela

Reputation: 372

Try marking the field with [NonSerialized()] attribute. This will tell the serializer to ignore the field.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.nonserializedattribute(v=vs.110).aspx

Upvotes: 3

Doug
Doug

Reputation: 5338

Additionally, DataContractSerializer will serialize items marked as [Serializable] and will also serialize unmarked types in .NET 3.5 SP1 and later, to allow support for serializing anonymous types.

So, it depends on how you've decorated your class as to how to keep a member from serializing:

  • If you used [DataContract], then remove the [DataMember] for the property.
  • If you used [Serializable], then add [NonSerialized] in front of the field for the property.
  • If you haven't decorated your class, then you should add [IgnoreDataMember] to the property.

Upvotes: 217

Kris Adams
Kris Adams

Reputation: 710

In XML Serializing, you can use the [XmlIgnore] attribute (System.Xml.Serialization.XmlIgnoreAttribute) to ignore a property when serializing a class.

This may be of use to you (Or it just may be of use to anyone who found this question when attempting to find out how to ignore a property when Serializing in XML, as I was).

Upvotes: 43

Tony The Lion
Tony The Lion

Reputation: 63290

What you are saying is in conflict with what it says in the MSDN library at this location:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.datacontractserializer.aspx

I don't see any mention of the SP1 feature you mention.

Upvotes: 0

Related Questions