Mapping XML to C# Objects Using Reflection by Giuseppe Naccarato

Description

XML has for some time been the de facto standard for exchanging data between different systems and platforms, so providing a mechanism that allows us to import XML is very useful. In this case study, author Giuseppe Naccarato discusses how to use reflection and the XmlReader object to build a powerful general--purpose component for mapping XML to C# objects.

Naccarato explores the details on using reflection to find and create types at runtime, invoke methods dynamically, discover information about classes and their members, and enable programs to inspect and manipulate data. Throughout the article, you'll look at how the component in this article can be used in real--world situations, by way of a sample application. In developing the example, you'll discover much about how the proposed component works and why it's more powerful and flexible than .NET XML serialization.