I don't know how to deserialize multiples objects from a binary file - help!

I create a complex datastructure to my liking

Fill the datastructure with whatever.

I create a dictionary(Type Integer, Datastructure) and fill the dictionary

I then serialize the dictionary itself

Deserialization consists of reading the binary file into a new dictionary.
A code example is below:

Imports System.IO

Imports System.Runtime.Serialization

Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary

Imports System.Windows.Forms

<Serializable()> Public Class clsIO

'Class for serializable IO

<Serializable()> Public Structure psec ' This is an example of the datastructure

Dim Image As Image

Dim Name As String

Dim FileSpec As String

Dim CommandModifier As String

Dim Visible As Boolean

End Structure

Protected sOriginalDirectory As String = System.Environment.CurrentDirectory

Public Structure ImgIndxAndToolTip

Dim Status As Long

Dim ImageIndex As String

Dim Tooltip As String

End Structure

Protected Const cSeparator As String = "Separator"

Public ItemDB As New Dictionary(Of Integer, psec)()

Protected packet As New psec

Protected bSeparator As Boolean

Public Sub New()

End Sub

Public Sub LoadMasterDatabase()

'Deserialize and read the Items and Icon databases

Dim name As String = GetRTMFilename()

If File.Exists(name) Then

Dim fsi As New System.IO.FileStream(name, IO.FileMode.Open) ' Open the dictionary in the defaulting directory

Dim BinFormatter As New BinaryFormatter()

Dim obj As Object

Dim i As Integer

ItemDB.Clear()

Try

obj = BinFormatter.Deserialize(fsi)

ItemDB = (CType(obj, Dictionary(Of Integer, psec)))

Catch e As SystemException

GoTo Common_exit

Finally

fsi.Close()

End Try

For i = 0 To ItemDB.Count - 1

bSeparator = False

packet = ItemDB.Item(i)

FrmToolBar.Pb1.Image = packet.Image

If packet.FileSpec <> cSeparator Then

FrmToolBar.AddNewToolStipButton1(packet.FileSpec, packet.Image)

Else

FrmToolBar.AddSeparator()

End If

Next

End If

End Sub

Public Sub WriteMasterDatabase()

Dim Outfile As String = GetRTMFilename()

Dim Fso As New System.IO.FileStream(Outfile, IO.FileMode.Create)

Dim i As Integer

Dim btn As New ToolStripButton

If FrmToolBar.Toolbar.Items.Count > 0 Then

For i = 0 To FrmToolBar.Toolbar.Items.Count - 1

bSeparator = False

Try

btn = FrmToolBar.Toolbar.Items(i)

Catch

bSeparator = True

packet.Image = Nothing

packet.FileSpec = cSeparator

packet.Name = ""

packet.CommandModifier = ""

End Try

If Not bSeparator Then

FrmToolBar.Pb1.Image = btn.Image

packet.Image = btn.Image

packet.FileSpec = btn.Tag()

packet.Name = btn.Name

packet.Visible = True

End If

ItemDB.Add(ItemDB.Count, packet)

Next

Dim BinFormatter As New BinaryFormatter

Try

BinFormatter.Serialize(Fso, ItemDB)

Finally

Fso.Close()

End Try

End If

End Sub

Public Function WriteItemRecord(ByRef RecNum As Integer, ByRef Obj As Object) As Boolean

WriteItemRecord = True

Try

ItemDB.Add(ItemDB.Count, Obj)

Catch

MsgBox("WriteItemRecord Error: " & Err.Description, MsgBoxStyle.OKOnly)

WriteItemRecord = False

End Try

End Function

Public Function ReadItemRecord(ByRef RecNum As Integer, ByRef Packet As psec) As Boolean

ReadItemRecord = True

Try

Catch

MsgBox("ReadItemRecord Error: " & Err.Description, MsgBoxStyle.OKOnly)

ReadItemRecord = False

End Try

End Function

Public Sub ClearItemDictionary()

End Sub

Public Function DoesDBFileExist(ByVal Filename As String) As Boolean

End Function

Private Function GetRTMFilename() As String

Const DBSFilePrefix As String = "ToolBar"

GetRTMFilename = sOriginalDirectory & "\" & DBSFilePrefix & ".dbs"

End Function

End Class

ReneeC at 2007-9-9 >

I'm really elated you could receive some benefit from what I suggested. I find that creating a dictionary of a complex datastructure, loading the dictionary and serializing and deserializing them to be very hardy and a wonderful and dynamic way to deal with serialization. I've even had great success with serializing multiple dictionaries in the same binary file. All you have to do is to respect the order in which you do it.

I am not a .Net Guru. As with all my many years of computer experience, I am self trained. I did have some questions as well as thoughts about your last post and I need to have them answered in order to insure that we are on the same page.

You speak of "designer mode". Would I be correct that what you are referring to is a very dynamic application, an exectuable image running in a particular mode? It's running a particular class (?) and possibly it's a restrictive class to support the dynamism?

If these assumptions are correct... does this class prevent you from referencing other classes? If not, it seems to me that you could do your serialization and deserialization in those classes and bring them into the designer class?

I apologize for being so dense but I'm not familiar with the restrictions of the class to which you are referring. Perhaps you could educate me so I might be so fortunate as to come up with some suggestions?

ReneeC at 2007-9-9 >

I found the solution to my problem. I don't know if this is the best way, but sincerely, i lost many time with this issue (thanks to my boss for his patience!).

I implemented a PropertyDescriptorCollection for get the properties into the deserialized object and subsequently assign the values into this properties to the component (host.CreateComponent) created with the "design-time" behavior. Using a PropertyDescriptor, you can get/set the value in a property into/from a component. The code below , shows how to get the value (using .GetValue() method) into the property "MargenSuperior" from the object m_qlabelcomponent and set to the same property into the object m_customcomponent (that implements IComponent, IDesignerHost, ISite, etc.; that allow use this component in an design mode environment at run-time:

((QLabel)m_customcomponent).MargenSuperior = (int) props["MargenSuperior"].GetValue(m_qlabelcomponent);

See the attached image for more details in the code.

Like you can see in the code, set the Parent property for the component with the RootComponent in the hostdesigner, allow that the control become visible and that have a "design-time" behavior.

/*Get the Parent property*/ propParent = props["Parent"]; /*Set the Parent property to the form:*/ propParent.SetValue(m_customcomponent, host.RootComponent);

Codify serialization and deserialization is not easy, and sincerely i was very worried because this issue taken many development time.

Thanks to all coders that indifferently gave to me time, code, tips and support.

Regards

PS. I hope that this code helps to another members in the forum.

Tabas at 2007-9-9 >