In this article, we are going to see how to serialize and deserialize an object as binary data using the binary formatter.

Step 1: Used Namespace

  1. using System;
  2. using System.Collections;
  3. using System.IO;
  4. using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;
Step 2: Usage
  1. protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
  2. {
  3. Employees emps = new Employees();
  5. emps.Add(new Employee("1", "Lajapathy"));
  6. emps.Add(new Employee("2", "Anand"));
  8. emps.Add(new Employee("3", "Sathiya"));
  9. emps.Add(new Employee("4", "Lakshmi"));
  10. emps.Add(new Employee("5", "Parthiban"));
  12. string pth = @"D:\Test.bin";
  14. //Serializing the collection
  15. Serialize(emps, pth);
  17. //Deserializing the collection
  18. Deserialize(pth);
  19. }

Step 3: Serializing the Object using Binary Formatter

  1. //Serializing the List
  2. public void Serialize(Employees emps, String filename)
  3. {
  4. //Create the stream to add object into it.
  5. System.IO.Stream ms = File.OpenWrite(filename);
  6. //Format the object as Binary
  8. BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
  9. //It serialize the employee object
  10. formatter.Serialize(ms, emps);
  11. ms.Flush();
  12. ms.Close();
  13. ms.Dispose();
  14. }

Step 4: Deserializing the Object using Binary Formatter

  1. //Deserializing the List
  2. public void Deserialize(String filename)
  3. {
  4. //Format the object as Binary
  5. BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
  7. //Reading the file from the server
  8. FileStream fs = File.Open(filename, FileMode.Open);
  10. object obj = formatter.Deserialize(fs);
  11. Employees emps = (Employees)obj;
  12. fs.Flush();
  13. fs.Close();
  14. fs.Dispose();
  15. foreach (Employee employee in emps)
  16. {
  17. Response.Write(employee.Name + "<br/>");
  18. }
  19. }
Step 5: Output Path of Serialization:

serialzation1.gif
Step 6: Output of Deserialization:

serialzation2.gif

  1. //Deserializing the List
  2. public void Deserialize(String filename)
  3. {
  4. //Format the object as Binary
  5. BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
  7. //Reading the file from the server
  8. FileStream fs = File.Open(filename, FileMode.Open);
  10. object obj = formatter.Deserialize(fs);
  11. Employees emps = (Employees)obj;
  12. fs.Flush();
  13. fs.Close();
  14. fs.Dispose();
  16. foreach (Employee employee in emps)
  17. {
  18. Response.Write(employee.Name + "<br/>");
  19. }
  20. }

Copy & Paste Code Snippet

  1. using System;
  2. using System.Collections;
  3. using System.IO;
  4. using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;
  6. namespace SampleApplication
  7. {
  8. public partial class ObjectSerialization : System.Web.UI.Page
  9. {
  10. protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
  11. {
  12. Employees emps = new Employees();
  13. emps.Add(new Employee("1", "Lajapathy"));
  14. emps.Add(new Employee("2", "Anand"));
  15. emps.Add(new Employee("3", "Sathiya"));
  17. emps.Add(new Employee("4", "Lakshmi"));
  18. emps.Add(new Employee("5", "Parthiban"));
  20. string pth = @"D:\Test.bin";
  22. //Serializing the collection
  23. Serialize(emps, pth);
  25. //Deserializing the collection
  26. Deserialize(pth);
  27. }
  28. //Serializing the List
  29. public void Serialize(Employees emps, String filename)
  30. {
  31. //Create the stream to add object into it.
  32. System.IO.Stream ms = File.OpenWrite(filename);
  34. //Format the object as Binary
  35. BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
  37. //It serialize the employee object
  38. formatter.Serialize(ms, emps);
  39. ms.Flush();
  40. ms.Close();
  41. ms.Dispose();
  42. }
  43. //Deserializing the List
  44. public void Deserialize(String filename)
  45. {
  46. //Format the object as Binary
  47. BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
  49. //Reading the file from the server
  50. FileStream fs = File.Open(filename, FileMode.Open);
  51. object obj = formatter.Deserialize(fs);
  52. Employees emps = (Employees)obj;
  53. fs.Flush();
  54. fs.Close();
  55. fs.Dispose();
  56. foreach (Employee employee in emps)
  57. {
  58. Response.Write(employee.Name + "<br/>");
  59. }
  60. }
  61. }
  62. //Classes
  63. [Serializable]
  64. public class Employee
  65. {
  66. public Employee(String id, String name)
  67. {
  68. _ID = id;
  69. _Name = name;
  70. }
  71. private String _ID = String.Empty;
  72. private String _Name = String.Empty;
  73. public String ID
  74. {
  75. get
  76. {
  77. return _ID;
  79. set
  80. {
  81. _ID = value;
  82. }
  83. }
  84. public String Name
  85. {
  86. get
  87. {
  89. return _Name;
  90. }
  91. set
  92. {
  93. _Name = value;
  94. }
  95. }
  96. }
  97. [Serializable]
  98. public class Employees : CollectionBase
  99. {
  100. //Constructor
  101. public Employees()
  102. {
  103. }
  105. //Add function
  106. public void Add(Employee objT)
  107. {
  108. this.List.Add(objT);
  109. }
  110. //Indexer
  111. public Employee this[int i]
  112. {
  113. get
  114. {
  115. return (Employee)this.List[i];
  116. }
  117. set
  118. {
  119. this.List.Add(value);
  120. }
  121. }
  122. }
  123. }

Thanks for reading this article. Have a nice day.