Serialize and Deserialize Entities

This sample shows how to do standard serialization in Microsoft.NET Framework using Microsoft Dynamics CRM objects.

 

//CRM4.0 Serialize and Deserialize Entities
using System;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using System.IO;
using CrmSdk;
using Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.Utility;

namespace Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.HowTo
{
   /// 

   /// The following sample demonstrates how to serialize a Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact into XML.
   /// and then how to deserialize the XML back into a Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact.  The sample performs
   /// the following steps:
   /// 
   /// - Creates a contact to serialize.
   /// - Retrieves the contact from Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
   /// - Serializes the contact and writes the resulting XML to a file.
   /// - Loads the XML file and deserializes it back into a Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact.
   /// - Updates the contact in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
   /// 
   /// NOTE: This process does not create Microsoft Dynamics CRM v1.x compatible XML.
   /// 
   public class SerializeAndDeserialize
   {
      static void Main(string[] args)
      {
         // TODO: Change the server URL and organization to match your Microsoft
         // Dynamics CRM Server and Microsoft Dynamics CRM organization.
         SerializeAndDeserialize.Run("http://localhost:5555", "CRM_SDK");
      }

      public static bool Run(string crmServerUrl, string orgName)
      {
         // Set up the CRM Service.
         CrmService service = CrmServiceUtility.GetCrmService(crmServerUrl, orgName);
         
         #region Setup Data Required for this Sample

         bool success = false;

         #endregion

         try
         {
            #region Create a temporary contact for this sample

            // Create a contact entity that will be serialized into XML.
            contact contactCreate = new contact();
            contactCreate.firstname = "Jesper";
            contactCreate.lastname = "Aaberg";
            contactCreate.jobtitle = "Doctor";

            // Create the entity in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and get its ID.
            Guid contactId = service.Create(contactCreate);

            #endregion

            #region Retrieve the contact from CRM

            // Create the column set object that indicates the fields to be retrieved.
            ColumnSet columns = new ColumnSet();
            columns.Attributes = new string [] {"contactid",
                                       "firstname",
                                       "lastname",
                                       "jobtitle"};

            // Retrieve the contact from Microsoft Dynamics CRM
            // using the ID of the record that was just created.
            // The EntityName indicates the EntityType of the object being retrieved.
            contact contact = (contact)service.Retrieve(EntityName.contact.ToString(), 
                                             contactId,
                                             columns);

            #endregion

            #region Serialize the contact into XML and save it

            // Serialize the contact into XML and write it to the hard drive.
            XmlSerializer serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(contact));

            // Create a unique file name for the XML.
            string filename = "Contact_" + contact.contactid.Value.ToString("B") + ".xml";

            // Create an instance of StreamWriter to write text to a file.
            // The using statement also closes the StreamWriter.
            using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(filename)) 
            {
               // Write the XML to disk.
               serializer.Serialize(writer, contact);
            }

            #endregion

            #region Deserialize the CRM contact from XML

            // Declare a Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact.
            contact restoredContact;

            using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(filename)) 
            {
               // Deserialize the contact object.
               object tmp = serializer.Deserialize(reader);

               // Cast the object into a Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact.
               restoredContact = tmp as contact;
            }
            
            #endregion

            #region Update contact in CRM

            // Update the contact in Microsoft Dynamics CRM to verify that the deserialization worked.
            restoredContact.jobtitle = "Plumber";
            service.Update(restoredContact);

            #endregion

            #region Delete Data Required for this Sample
            service.Delete(EntityName.contact.ToString(), contactId);
            #endregion

            #region Unit Test: Check if all is ok (test suite)

            // If some key things are OK, return true.
            if (filename != null &&
               filename.Length > "Contact_.XML".Length &&
               restoredContact != null)
            {
               return true;
            }
            else
            {
               return false;
            }

            #endregion
         }
         catch (System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException)
         {
            // Add your error handling code here.
         }

         return success;
      }
   }
}