Serialization Of List C#

Serialization is the process of converting an object into a stream of bytes to store the object or transmit it to memory, a database, or a file. Its main purpose is to save the state of an object in order to be able to recreate it when needed. The reverse process is called deserialization.

Serializable class

Add the [Serializable()] to the class that will be serialize.

namespace XX
{
    [Serializable()]
    public class Object
    {

    }
}

Serialization methode

public void toSerialize(string fileName, List lstObject)
{
    FileStream stream = File.Create(fileName);
    var formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
    formatter.Serialize(stream, lstObject);
    stream.Close();
}

Deserialization methode

public List deSerialize(string fileName)
{
    var formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
    FileStream stream = File.OpenRead(fileName);
    ObservableCollection<Object> lstTmp = (ObservableCollection<Object>)formatter.Deserialize(stream);
    stream.Close();
    foreach (Object obj in lstTmp)
    {
        lstObject.Add(obj);
    }
    return lstObject;
}