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Desearialize an XML string

I have a windows service built with VS 2012 vb.net 4.0

I want to desterilize this xml string:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<response>
<result numFound="96">
<doc spendingCategory="Assistance">
<record_count>2</record_count>
<UniqueTransactionID>747cd6362dcfa5a2c1b2e49823b3fb5c</UniqueTransactionID> </doc>
<doc spendingCategory="Assistance">
<record_count>3</record_count>
<UniqueTransactionID>6dfae83f273289b0185ba25a821f7e27</UniqueTransactionID> </doc>
<doc spendingCategory="Assistance">
<record_count>4</record_count>
<UniqueTransactionID>3c713f5add6cc3b40042609a7ae5262c</UniqueTransactionID> </doc>
</result>
</response>

Into this structure:

Public Structure response
Dim result As result
End Structure
Public Structure result
Dim numFound As String
Dim doc() As doc
End Structure
Public Structure doc
Dim spendingCategory As String
Dim record_count As String
Dim UniqueTransactionID As String
End Structure

using this code:

Public Shared Sub DeSerialize_Response(ByVal sXML As String, ByRef oResponse As response)

If String.IsNullOrEmpty(sXML) Then
oResponse = Nothing
Exit Sub
End If

Dim serializer As New Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(GetType(Schedule))
Dim settings As New XmlReaderSettings()

Using textReader As New StringReader(sXML)
Using xmlReader__1 As XmlReader = XmlReader.Create(textReader, settings)
oResponse = DirectCast(serializer.Deserialize(xmlReader__1), response)
End Using
End Using

End Sub

I am getting this error:

{"There is an error in XML document (2, 2)."} and this in innerEXCEPTION:

<response xmlns=''> was not expected.

Can you tell me what i'm doing wrong with either my structure or my code.
thanks.

TommySzalapski

It has to do with the response element being the root. It is expecting you to give a namespace (the ns is for namespace). So it is complaining because the namespace is blank (xmlns = '') note that it is two ' characters not one " character.

Did you not create the file with the same VB library? It should have put a namespace in there.

You can give it a blank namespace when you serialize, something like this (trying to translate from C# in my head).

Dim ns As New XmlSerializerNamespaces ns
ns.Add("", "")

serializer.Serialize(writer, object, ns)

Open in new window

Or you could add some attributes to your structure like

<XmlRoot("response")> _
Public Structure response
'... rest of code

Open in new window

cnxmax

ASKER

TommySzalapski, thanks for responding. I have made progress using your suggestions. they error messages are now gone. however, after deserialization my oResponse.result.doc object has a count of 0 and my numFound is "nothing".

This is what I am now using for the structure:

<XmlRoot("response")>
Public Structure response
Dim result As result
End Structure
Public Structure result
Dim numFound As String
<XmlArray>
<XmlArrayItem("doc")>
Dim doc As List(Of doc)
End Structure

The xml string is the same.

This is the code I am now using for deserialization :

Public Shared Sub DeSerialize_Response(ByVal sXML As String, ByRef oResponse As response)

If String.IsNullOrEmpty(sXML) Then
oResponse = Nothing
Exit Sub
End If

Dim serializer As New Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(GetType(response), New XmlRootAttribute("response"))
Dim settings As New XmlReaderSettings()

Using textReader As New StringReader(sXML)
Using xmlReader__1 As XmlReader = XmlReader.Create(textReader, settings)
oResponse = DirectCast(serializer.Deserialize(xmlReader__1), response)
End Using
End Using

End Sub

can you see why my oResponse.result.doc object has a count of 0 and my numFound is "nothing"

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TommySzalapski

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cnxmax

ASKER

did what you said, worked like a charm