Do I have to use serialization just to dump a structure to a file?

[danielkw]

Do I have to use serialization just to dump a structure to a file? I hope this is not the case. I hope I can work it out like in VB6...

VB6 example:

Type TEST
   test1 As Long
   test2 As Integer
End Type
 
Sub Save
    Dim a As TEST
    Open "C:\test.bin" For Binary Access Write As 1
        Put #1, a
    Close 1
End Sub

is there a way to do exatcly the same thing in VB.NET WITHOUT using serialization?

btw, I know how to use serialization so please don't give me any examples on that...

[hellswraith]

I don't know of another way.

What is the problem with serialization anyway?

[danielkw]

there must be some way to be able to just drop a structure to a file.


the problem with serialization is that i don't have the control. i can't decide where to put the information and a lot of unnessecary information is also being stored.

when using vb6 i can put a structure wherever i want in a file. maybe there is a way to do that using serialization, i don't know.

[Edneeis]

You can implement ISerializable in your object to have more control over the serialization process. Its funny that you don't like serialization considering its less code and easier to work with. Alternatively there may be some methods of file access like you want in the Visual Basic Compatiblity namespaces or IO namespace.

[danielkw]

it's not that i don't like serialization because i do. it's just that now it didn't 100% fit my needs.

can you give me an example of implementing the ISerializable and using it.

thanks.

[Edneeis]

Originally posted by danielkw
it's not that i don't like serialization because i do. it's just that now it didn't 100% fit my needs.

can you give me an example of implementing the ISerializable and using it.

thanks.

I cannot, I haven't tried implementing it before but there shoudl be an example in the help files.