How to read object from file (Serialization) (C#.net)

How to read object from file (Serialization):

Serialization, as implemented in the System.Runtime.Serialization namespace is the process of serializing and de-serializing objects so that they can be stored or transferred and then later re-created.  

Deserializing is the process of converting a previously serialized sequence of bytes into an object.

  

Code

 

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;

 

In the previous example of "How to write a object in file" we see an Employee class object is written in file. Now how to read that written object from file is:

READING A SINGLE OBJECT FROM FILE:

 

 Reading a single object from file and display its id and name on console:

       

     FileStream fs = new FileStream("abc.dat", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);

     BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();

Here, casting each object to Employee while Deserializing:

        Employee emp = (Employee)bf.Deserialize(fs);

.print() method is Employee class method which displays id and name on console:

        emp.print();

READING ALL OBJECTS FROM FILE:

 

Reading whole file and load all objects of Employee class from file, and add that objects to  List of Employee objects.

 

List<Employee> listEmployees = new List<Employee>();

FileStream fs = new FileStream("abc.dat", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);

BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();

       while (fs.CanRead)

       {

            Employee emp = (Employee)bf.Deserialize(fs);

            listEmployees.Add(emp);

       }

Now, whole objects loaded in listEmployees. You can do whatever with the objects and can write back also.

 

DISPLAYING ALL LOADED OBJECTS FROM LIST:

 

        foreach (Employee emp in listEmployees)

               emp.print();