genxs(1)
NAME
genxs - Mono's Xml Serializer Generator
SYNOPSIS
genxs configurationFile [destinationFolder]
DESCRIPTION
genxs is a tool for generating custom XML serialization writers and readers for classes. configurationFile is configuration file which specifies several information, such as the class for which to generate the reader and writer, the name and namespace of the classes to generate, and a collection of hooks to apply. By using hooks it is possible to customize the behavior of the serializer without needing to modify the generated file, so you can safely regenerate it if the source class is modified. destinationFolder specifies the folder where the files will be generated. NOTE: This tool only runs in the Mono runtime, since it uses some internal classes not available in other runtimes.
CONFIGURATION FILE FORMAT
The configuration file is an xml document based on the following
grammar ("?" means optional, "*" 0 or more):
<configuration>
<serializer class="name" assembly="name"> *
<reader>name</reader> ?
<writer>name</writer> ?
<namespace>name</namespace> ?
<outFileName>name</outFileName> ?
<readerHooks> ?
<hook ...> *
</readerHooks>
<writerHooks> ?
<hook ...> *
</writerHooks>
</serializer>
</configuration>
A configuration file can have multiple "serializer" elements, each of
which specifies the class for which to generate a serializer together
with several generation options. The source class is specified in the
following attributes:
* class : name of the class (including namespace).
* assembly : assembly name. It can include the complete path.
Generation options are specified in child elements:
* reader : name of the reader class.
* noReader : if "true", it does not generate reader class.
* writer : name of the writer class.
* baseSerializer : name of the base xml serializer class. This item
is 2.0 only.
* implementation : name of the serializer implementation class. This
item is 2.0 only.
* noWriter : if "true", it does not generate writer class.
* namespace : namespace of the reader and writer classes.
* generateAsInternal : if "true", it generates classes as internal.
* outFileName : name of the generated file.
* readerHooks : a list of hooks to apply to the reader.
* writerHooks : a list of hooks to apply to the writer.
SPECIFYING HOOKS
Using hooks you can customize the behavior of readers and writers. A
hook specification follows this grammar:
<hook type="name">
<select> ?
<typeName>name</typeName> ?
<typeAttribute>name</typeAttribute> *
<typeMember>name</typeMember> ?
</select>
<replace>source code</replace> ?
<insertBefore>source code</insertBefore> ?
<insertAfter>source code</insertAfter> ?
</hook>
The "type" attribute specifies the context in which the hook is
applied. It can be one of the following:
* attributes : hook is applied where attributes are
serialized/deserialized.
* elements : hook is applied where elements are
serialized/deserialized.
* unknownAttribute : hook is applied where unknown attributes are
processed.
* unknownElement : hook is applied where unknown elements are
processed.
* member : hook is applied where a member is
serialized/deserialized.
* type : hook is applied for the whole type.
The "select" element specifies the classes and members to which the
hook has to be added. It can contain the following elements:
* typeName : the class with that name will be selected (must include
namespace)
* typeAttribute : all classes which have that attribute applied will
be selected (specify the full attribute class name, including
namespace). Several attribute names can be specified.
* typeMember : name of the class member for which the hook must be
added.
The hook source code can be specified using any of the following
elements:
* replace : the provided source code will replace all
serialization/deserialization operations in the hook context.
* insertBefore : the source code will be added before the hook
context.
* insertAfter : the source code will be added after the hook
context.
When writing the code for a hook you can use some special variables
that are defined during the code generation process. The variables are
the following:
* $TYPE: name of the class being generated, without namespace.
* $FULLTYPE: full name of the class being generated, including
namespace.
* $OBJECT: the object being serialized or deserialized. When using a
replace reader hook of type "type", the hook code must assign the
deserialized object to this variable.
* -I $ELEMENT: name of the element of the object being
serialized/deserialized.
* $NAMESPACE: namespace of the element of the object being
serialized/deserialized.
* $MEMBER: name of the member being serialized/deserialized. Only
valid in the "member" context.
HOOK EXAMPLES
The following example adds a call to a Validate method after the
deserialization of any object:
<hook type="type">
<insertAfter>
System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema.Validate$TYPE ($OBJECT);
</insertAfter>
</hook>
This example specifies the code to be used to deserialize the XmlSchema
class:
<hook type="type">
<select>
<typeName>System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema</typeName>
</select>
<replace>
$OBJECT = System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema.Read (Reader, null);
</replace>
</hook>
That one specifies the code to be used to read XmlSchema instances:
<hook type="type">
<select>
<typeName>System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema</typeName>
</select>
<replace>$OBJECT.Write (Writer);</replace>
</hook>
With this two hooks the serializer will print some information when
serializing the class "MyClass":
<hook type="type">
<select>
<typeName>MyNamespace.MyClass</typeName>
</select>
<insertBefore>Console.WriteLine ("Serializing MyClass");</replace>
<insertAfter>Console.WriteLine ("MyClass serialized");</insertAfter>
</hook>
<hook type="member">
<select>
<typeName>MyNamespace.MyClass</typeName>
</select>
<insertAfter>
Console.WriteLine ("Serialized member $MEMBER");
</insertAfter>
</hook>
This hook writes an additional element for all types that have the
custom attribute "MyAttribute":
<hook type="elements">
<select>
<typeAttribute>MyNamespace.MyAttribute</typeAttribute>
</select>
<insertAfter>
Writer.WriteStartElement ("privateData");
Writer.WriteString ($OBJECT.PrivateData);
Writer.WriteEndElement ();
</insertAfter>
</hook>
CONFIGURATION FILE EXAMPLE
This is the configuration file used to generate the serializer for
ServiceDescription:
<configuration>
<serializer class="System.Web.Services.Description.ServiceDescription" assembly="System.Web.Services">
<reader>ServiceDescriptionReaderBase</reader>
<writer>ServiceDescriptionWriterBase</writer>
<namespace>System.Web.Services.Description</namespace>
<outFileName>ServiceDescriptionSerializerBase.cs</outFileName>
<readerHooks>
<hook type="unknownElement">
<select>
<typeAttribute>System.Web.Services.Configuration.XmlFormatExtensionPointAttribute</typeAttribute>
</select>
<replace>ServiceDescription.ReadExtension (Reader, $OBJECT);</replace>
</hook>
<hook type="type">
<select>
<typeName>System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema</typeName>
</select>
<replace>$OBJECT = System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema.Read (Reader, null);</replace>
</hook>
</readerHooks>
<writerHooks>
<hook type="elements">
<select>
<typeAttribute>System.Web.Services.Configuration.XmlFormatExtensionPointAttribute</typeAttribute>
</select>
<insertBefore>ServiceDescription.WriteExtensions (Writer, $OBJECT);</insertBefore>
</hook>
<hook type="type">
<select>
<typeName>System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema</typeName>
</select>
<replace>$OBJECT.Write (Writer);</replace>
</hook>
</writerHooks>
</serializer>
</configuration>
AUTHORS
Lluis Sanchez Gual (lluis@ximian.com)
LICENSE
GenXS is released under the terms of the GNU GPL.
SEE ALSO
mono(1), mcs(1), sgen(1) genxs(1)
Opportunity
Personal Opportunity - Free software gives you access to billions of dollars of software at no cost. Use this software for your business, personal use or to develop a profitable skill. Access to source code provides access to a level of capabilities/information that companies protect though copyrights. Open source is a core component of the Internet and it is available to you. Leverage the billions of dollars in resources and capabilities to build a career, establish a business or change the world. The potential is endless for those who understand the opportunity.
Business Opportunity - Goldman Sachs, IBM and countless large corporations are leveraging open source to reduce costs, develop products and increase their bottom lines. Learn what these companies know about open source and how open source can give you the advantage.
Free Software
Free Software provides computer programs and capabilities at no cost but more importantly, it provides the freedom to run, edit, contribute to, and share the software. The importance of free software is a matter of access, not price. Software at no cost is a benefit but ownership rights to the software and source code is far more significant.
Free Office Software - The Libre Office suite provides top desktop productivity tools for free. This includes, a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation engine, drawing and flowcharting, database and math applications. Libre Office is available for Linux or Windows.
Free Books
The Free Books Library is a collection of thousands of the most popular public domain books in an online readable format. The collection includes great classical literature and more recent works where the U.S. copyright has expired. These books are yours to read and use without restrictions.
Source Code - Want to change a program or know how it works? Open Source provides the source code for its programs so that anyone can use, modify or learn how to write those programs themselves. Visit the GNU source code repositories to download the source.
Education
Study at Harvard, Stanford or MIT - Open edX provides free online courses from Harvard, MIT, Columbia, UC Berkeley and other top Universities. Hundreds of courses for almost all major subjects and course levels. Open edx also offers some paid courses and selected certifications.
Linux Manual Pages - A man or manual page is a form of software documentation found on Linux/Unix operating systems. Topics covered include computer programs (including library and system calls), formal standards and conventions, and even abstract concepts.
