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Can't De-serialize a data structure

Hi, experts -

I'm a bit new with .Net, but pretty advanced with vb6. What I'm trying to do is take a user defined data structure and serialize/deserialize it. Serialization code is:
Dim fs As New FileStream(ConnectionInfoFileName, FileMode.Create)
' Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it to serialize the data to the stream.
Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter
NewObject = CType(ConnectionInfo, ConnectInfo)

formatter.Serialize(fs, NewObject)

This seems to work - at least, the file is created and what isn't binary gibberish looks like the various names of the data structure members. (Incidentally, all members of the struct are 'Friend', not 'Public')

De-serialization looks like this:
Dim fs As New FileStream(ConnectionInfoFileName, FileMode.Open)
' Construct a BinaryFormatter and use it to serialize the data to the stream.
Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter
NewObject = CType(formatter.Deserialize(fs), ConnectInfo)

This consistently throws an exception 'Can't find assembly .....'
1) Is it in fact possible to serialize a struct with variable length felds?
2) If so, can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

Jayadev Nair

I believe you do not have the assembly reference where you are trying to deserialize the object. Try adding reference to the dll where the actual structure is defined (if serialization & deserialization occurs in different assembly).

LongDave

ASKER

When I look at the error message, I believe you are correct, however, I'm not sure how I go about this. The application is a user control that I'm building, and the error occurs when I'm testing in the UserControl Test Container. Where would I find the dll you speak of and how do I create a reference to it? Thanks a lot - I think I'm almost there.

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Jayadev Nair

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LongDave

ASKER

I'll I'm trying to do is serialize a data structure. I changed things around a bit since the last response. I've now created a class called CInfo. Here is the entire thing:
******************************************************
Public Class CInfo

<Serializable()> Public Structure EtherNetInfo
Public RemoteIP As String 'IP of the remote system
Public RemotePort As Integer 'remote port
Public LocalPort As Integer 'remote port
Public Const EtherNetPassword = "pass45733190" 'password for server card
End Structure

<Serializable()> Public Structure ModemInfo
Public CommPort As Short 'number of the commport to use
Public PhoneNumber As String 'phone number
Public Password As String 'password
Public CallWaitingDisable As Boolean 'see if call waiting is disabled
Public CallWaitingString As String 'string to disable call waiting
Public Const EtherNetPassword = "pass45733190" 'password for server card
End Structure

<Serializable()> Public Structure DTCCommPort
Public CommPort As Short 'commport
Public Password As String 'password
End Structure

<Serializable()> Public Structure PortOnly
Public CommPort As Short 'commport
End Structure

<Serializable()> Public Structure ConnectInfo
Public B3_Eth As EtherNetInfo 'BackBoneBus over Ethernet
Public B3_Modem As ModemInfo ' " " Modem
Public L2_Eth As EtherNetInfo 'Link2 Card over Ethernet
Public L2_CommPort As PortOnly ' " " from a commport
Public DTC_Modem As ModemInfo 'DTC over a modem
Public DTC_Direct As DTCCommPort 'DTC over a commport
Public Location As String 'save the location
Public Reconnect As Boolean 'see if reconnect at startup
Public ErrorLogEnableFlag As Boolean 'enable error logging
Public CommLogEnableFlag As Boolean 'enable comm logging
End Structure
Public Sub New()

End Sub
End Class
*********************************************
Note the structure 'ConnectInfo' is composed of the previous structs above it. In my
main program, I initialize this way:

Friend ConnectionInfo As New CInfo.ConnectInfo

My project is called 'ConnectControl'. In my \Projects\bin\Debug folder the only dll that is there
is 'ConnectControl.dll'. If I load this as a reference I get:

'CInfo' is ambiguous in the namespace 'ConnectControl'.

I'm starting to feel like a bit of an idiot here :)
Thanks for helping - hope to hear from you (or another expert) soon

LongDave

ASKER

I got it working! Thanks for your help! You at least pointed me in the right direction, so I'll give you half points.

Thanks again -

Dave