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;
}
}
}
