Binary Serialization of datagridview and chart tool

[Vb2010 Beginner]

Hey,

I am trying to use binary serialization to store data from a few textboxes, a few datagridviews and a chart with multiple series, but havent had much luck.
My current problem is that i'm trying to adapt an example to work with DGV's and I need to declare it. I have been trying to follow the format of the example.

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary

<Serializable()> _
Public Class bob
    Implements ISerializable

    Public Title As String = String.Empty
    Public Author As String = String.Empty
    Public Text As String = String.Empty
    Public texttest As String = String.Empty
    Public datagrid As DataGridView = 'find a way to store datagridviews
    Public Sub GetObjectData(ByVal info As SerializationInfo, _
                             ByVal context As StreamingContext) _
                             Implements ISerializable.GetObjectData
        info.AddValue("Title", Title)
        info.AddValue("Author", Author)
        info.AddValue("Text", Text)
        info.AddValue("TextTest", texttest)
        info.AddValue("datagrid", datagrid)
    End Sub

    Public Sub New(ByVal info As SerializationInfo, _
                   ByVal context As StreamingContext)
        Title = CStr(info.GetValue("Title", GetType(String)))
        Author = CStr(info.GetValue("Author", GetType(String)))
        Text = CStr(info.GetValue("Text", GetType(String)))
        texttest = CStr(info.GetValue("TextTest", GetType(String)))
        datagrid = (info.GetValue("datagrid", GetType(String)))
    End Sub

    Public Sub New()
        'Empty Constructor
    End Sub

    Public Sub Serialize(ByVal Filename As String)
        Dim s As Stream
        Try
            s = File.Open(Filename, FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite)
            Dim b As New BinaryFormatter
            b.Serialize(s, Me)
        Finally
            s.Close()
        End Try
    End Sub

    Public Shared Function Deserialize(ByVal Filename As String) As bob
        Dim s As Stream
        Try
            s = File.Open(Filename, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read)
            Dim b As New BinaryFormatter
            Return CType(b.Deserialize(s), bob)
        Finally
            s.Close()
        End Try
    End Function

End Class

Not sure if its possible the way that i'm doing it, is there a better way? Possibly a way to serialize the entire program at once, and save it in its current state? That would be ideal.

Thanks

[Niya]

Wait a minute.....where does the data in the DataGridView come from ? Data in controls should be considered disposable. Ie. They are for display purposes only and you should practice thinking in that way. What you should be doing is using the source of that data(before it reached the DataGridView) to save, edit, delete etc. You understand what I'm saying ?

[MattP]

Completely agree with Niya. Here's a nice simple example showing a BindingList(Of T) being serialized/deserialized while having the list be the DataGridView's DataSource.

[Vb2010 Beginner]

I never thought of it that way. Currently the data is calculated, then added to the datagridview and then looped. I will look into Binding list(of T). Thank You both

Any ideas for the chart tool? Each series is generated from the data in the datagrids, if that helps.

[MattP]

Here's the msdn documentation for serializing a chart. Pay attention to the section that talks about setting the Format to SerializationFormat.Binary as XML is the default.