How to implement Xml Serialization with inherited classes in C#

Unfortunately, you need to tell the XmlSerializer the classes you intend to serialize or deserialize using the XmlArrayItem() attribute. Each different type also needs its own element name. For example:

public class ComponentDerviedClass1: Componentpublic class ComponentDerivedClass2: Componentpublic class ComponentDerivedClass3: Component// ...public class ComponentsCollection{    [XmlArray("Components")]    [XmlArrayItem("ComponentDerivedClass1", typeof(ComponentDerivedClass1))]    [XmlArrayItem("ComponentDerivedClass2", typeof(ComponentDerivedClass2))]    [XmlArrayItem("ComponentDerivedClass3", typeof(ComponentDerivedClass3))]    public List<Component> Components    {        // ...    }}

This would read an XML file like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><ComponentsCollection>      <Components>     <ComponentDerivedClass1>         <!-- ... -->     </ComponentDerivedClass1>     <ComponentDerivedClass2>         <!-- ... -->     </ComponentDerivedClass2>     <ComponentDerivedClass3>         <!-- ... -->     </ComponentDerivedClass3>   </Components>  </ComponentsCollection>

Multiple instances of each element can be present (or none).

Two options for different scenrios: tell the base-class

[XmlInclude(typeof(DBComponent))]public class Component{    private string name = string.Empty;    private string description = string.Empty;  }

Or: tell the collection:

[XmlArray][XmlArrayItem("Component", typeof(Component))][XmlArrayItem("DBComponent", typeof(DBComponent))]public List<Component> Components {...}

Actually, you can also use [XmlElement(...)] in place of [XmlArrayItem] if you don't want the outer node (Components). Also: you don't need [Serializable].