BinarySerialize

Introduction

The BinarySerialize function is a function which can save a binary file representing an instance of an object. This function is similar to FlatRedBall.IO.FileManager.XmlSerialize, but the resulting file is a binary file rather than a text XML file.

Benefits of BinarySerialize

Binary files have the following benefits:

• Binary files cannot be opened and edited as easily as XML files. This makes binary serialization a good choice for files which you do not want users to be able to modify.

• Binary files are often smaller on disk than XML files. For smaller files this doesn't matter much, but it can have a large impact on file size when dealing with larger files.

• Binary files can be faster to load.

Downsides of BinarySerialize

Binary files have the following downsides:

• Binary files are more difficult to debug - you can't simply look at the file and identify issues.

• Binary serialization is not supported on every platform.

• Binary files created on one platform may not be usable on another platform.

• Binary files do not use a standard structure, therefore any area where the binary file is needed requires a custom loader. Most non-C# technology includes XML parsing libraries.

'TYPE' is not marked as serializable

Any type that is run through the BinarySerialize function must be marked as serializable. For example:

[Serializable]
public class PlayerProfileSave
{
  public string Name;
  public int Experience;
}

However, the