ShouldSerialize() or Specified: Which Conditional Serialization Pattern Should I Choose?

Comparison of

ShouldSerialize() and Specified conditional serialization mode

Conditional serialization is essential for selectively controlling serialization behavior based on specific conditions. Two commonly used patterns are ShouldSerialize() and Specified. However, the differences and potential issues with each model require careful study.

*Specified Mode

Purpose: Support XML Schema element binding where minOccurs is zero, maxOccurs is one, the data type is a value type, and the element may not exist. It tracks whether an element appears in XML and whether it should be serialized back to XML.

Trap: A mismatch between a populated property and the corresponding *Specified property can cause serialization issues. For serializers that do not support this mode, you may need to manually suppress the output or set the property during deserialization.

ShouldSerialize*() pattern

Purpose: Allows conditional serialization based on specific conditions, which is documented in the Windows Forms section of MSDN and is widely adopted by various serializers.

Advantages: Avoids the pitfalls associated with *Specified mode, is more popular, and is supported in multiple serializers.

Which mode to choose?

• *Using Specified mode: **

  • XSD generation needs to track the presence of elements in the scene with minOccurs 0/maxOccurs 1.
  • The schema needs to indicate optional values.

• In other cases, use ShouldSerialize*() mode:

  • Avoid pitfalls and potential support issues.
  • Ensuring consistency and broader compatibility.

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