Customizing XML Serialization in .NET 2.0 Using the IXmlSerializable Interface

n .NET 2.0, Microsoft has exposed the methods of the IXmlSerializable interface, giving you far more control over the way your objects get serialized to XML than in previous versions. Implementing IXmlSerializable in your own classes gives you explicit control over the XML schema as well as fine-grained control of the XML when serializing or deserializing your objects at runtime.

One of the most obvious weaknesses with XML serialization in .NET Framework 1.x was that it lacked the ability to customize the serialization and deserialization process. In that version, the IXmlSerializable interface provided limited serialization support geared primarily toward serializing DataSet objects. But in the .NET Framework 2.0, Microsoft has made the IXmlSerializable interface methods available for public consumption—meaning that you can implement those methods to exercise a finer level of control over the XML serialization and deserialization process. This article explores the new serialization features and demonstrates how to leverage them in your applications.