Brendan Tompkins [MVP]

Blog First. Ask Questions Later.

Nice Fix for System.TimeSpan Serialization

If you've tried to XML serialize a System.TimeSpan value, you may have noticed that your node is null, no matter what you set the TimeSpan value to be. There's a nice workaround to this posted here by Ben Lucas. Basically, you [XmlIgnore] your object's TimeSpan property, and add another that serializes the time span's ticks. Pretty simple, but works great!

[XmlIgnore]public System.TimeSpan TimeToBeReceived
{
get { return timeToBeReceived;}
set
   {
          if (timeToBeReceived == value) return;
          timeToBeReceived = value;
   }
}

public long TimeToBeReceivedTicks
{
get { return timeToBeReceived.Ticks; }
set { this.timeToBeReceived = new TimeSpan(value); }
}

So instead of this:

You get this:

Thanks Ben!

-Brendan

Published Aug 10 2004, 09:07 AM by Brendan Tompkins

Comments

Brett said:

Wow. Very handy, thank's for reposting!

# February 17, 2005 12:40 PM

vb set timespan value said:

Pingback from vb set timespan value

# April 30, 2008 5:05 AM

Bubba Man said:

Thanks!

That was a huge help.

I did not even know that problem existed until about a 1/2 an hour ago. Very handy.

# May 12, 2008 5:22 PM

S. Gryphon said:

Yep.

Another alternative is to use the XmlConvert class (msdn.microsoft.com/.../system.xml.xmlconvert.totimespan.aspx) and send/receive values that conform to the XSD duration data type. Using duration may be better thank ticks if you want to conform to XML standards.

e.g.

public long TimeToBeReceivedDuration

{

get { return XmlConvert.ToString(timeToBeReceived); }

set { this.timeToBeReceived = XmlConvert.ToTimeSpan(value); }

}

# June 18, 2008 10:08 PM

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About Brendan Tompkins

Brendan has been programming with .NET since the first public beta and is owner and operator of Port Technology Services, a consultancy company providing .NET application development services to the Maritime industry. In July, 2007, he was awarded the Microsoft MVP award for ASP.NET. He's also a proud co-founder of failed .COM startup Intrinsigo, and has had a hand in the failure of numerous other businesses. He currently runs CodeBetter.Com and Devlicio.us, and lives in Norfolk, Virgina with his wife Tiara and son Ian.