[RESOLVED] XML Serialization/Deserialization

[clarkgriswald]

I am using the following methods to serialize objects into xml:

Dim oSerializer As New Runtime.Serialization.DataContractSerializer(oSourceObject.GetType)
 
                'if we have a serializer object
                If (oSerializer IsNot Nothing) Then
 
                    Using oStream As New IO.FileStream(sFileName, IO.FileMode.Create)
 
                        'write the object
                        oSerializer.WriteObject(oStream, oSourceObject)
 
                        'close the stream
                        oStream.Close()
 
                        'set the result to true
                        bResult = True
 
                    End Using
 
                End If 'if we have a serializer object

This works fine, but if I was to later extend the object by say adding properties etc, then when I attempt to deserialize the original serialized file, it fails due to the fact that the objects are not identical (here is the deserialization code):

Dim oSerializer As New Runtime.Serialization.DataContractSerializer(oTargetObject.GetType)
 
                'if we have a serializer object
                If (oSerializer IsNot Nothing) Then
 
                    Dim oStream As New IO.FileStream(sFileName, IO.FileMode.Open)
                    Dim oReader As Xml.XmlDictionaryReader = Xml.XmlDictionaryReader.CreateTextReader(oStream, New Xml.XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas())
 
                    'attempt to read the object
                    Try
 
                        'deserialize the data and read it from the instance
                        oTargetObject = oSerializer.ReadObject(oReader, True)
 
                        'set the result to true
                        bResult = True
 
                    Catch ex As Exception
 
                        'throw the error to the calling application
                        Throw New Exception(String.Empty, ex)
 
                    Finally
 
                        'close the reader
                        If (oReader IsNot Nothing) Then oReader.Close()
 
                        'close the file stream
                        If (oStream IsNot Nothing) Then oStream.Close()
 
                    End Try
 
                End If 'if we have a serializer object

Is there a way to populate the object without failing? In other words, just skip over the missing properties.