Generate Objects from Xml Files

Recently needed some quick method to use objects generated from an existing xml file without bothering to create an xml schema for it.

After a few attempts and searching for explanations why a simple task like this wouldn´t work, finally put the steps together:
1. Use VS2008 CommandPrompt Tool and run :

xsd.exe xmlNameFile.xml /outputdir:DirName

2. The above will generate xsd schema in the directory (.xsd file)
3. Use xsd tool again in the VS CommandPrompt to generate the classes from the new schema :

xsd.exe NewSchemaName.xsd /c /n:YourNamespace

This will generate a class file that you can use in your project but be aware of the following :

For parent elements in xml it will automatically generate a field as a multidimensional array , i.e. Items[][] with the XmlArrayItemAttribute("TagName", typeof(Items) but as Items is multidimensional it won’t cope with it, even if one changes the type to typeof(Items[]) these are filled with null.

4. You need to change the whole into a one dimensional array :

private Items[] itemsField;

and

XmlArrayItemAttribute("TagName", typeof(Items)

This will fill the array with all the nodes that are under TagName automatically.

5. Then you can use a Deserialization method to get the whole object , like :

public object DeSerializeObject(string s, Type t)
{
    Stream xmlStream = new MemoryStream(s.Length);
    StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(xmlStream);
    sw.Write(s);
    sw.Flush();
    xmlStream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
    XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(t);
    return serializer.Deserialize(xmlStream);
}

And method usage :

Response rsp = (Response)this.DeSerializeObject(doc.InnerXml, typeof(Response))

The result is an object having the structure of the xml file provided at the beginning.