BinaryFormatter deserialize gives SerializationException

Question

I\'m getting an:

System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationException: Unable to find assembly \'myNameSpace, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, Pub

Answer 1

You can get around this issue without needing the DLL if you know the object...

http://spazzarama.com/2009/06/25/binary-deserialize-unable-to-find-assembly/

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.serialization.serializationbinder(VS.71).aspx

Use the “System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationBinder” class. By inheriting from this class it is possible to redirect all the requests for types from the binary formatter to the types of your choice.

Here is a sample that will allow the types to be found in the current assembly regardless of which version of the assembly originally created the serialized stream:

sealed class AllowAllAssemblyVersionsDeserializationBinder : System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationBinder
{
    public override Type BindToType(string assemblyName, string typeName)
    {     
        String currentAssembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().FullName;

        // In this case we are always using the current assembly
        assemblyName = currentAssembly;

        // Get the type using the typeName and assemblyName
        Type typeToDeserialize = Type.GetType(String.Format("{0}, {1}",
            typeName, assemblyName));

        return typeToDeserialize;
    }
}

public static MyRequestObject Deserialize(byte[] b)
{
    MyRequestObject mro = null;
    var formatter = new System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter();
    using (var ms = new System.IO.MemoryStream(b))
    {
       // To prevent errors serializing between version number differences (e.g. Version 1 serializes, and Version 2 deserializes)
       formatter.Binder = new AllowAllAssemblyVersionsDeserializationBinder();

       // Allow the exceptions to bubble up
       // System.ArgumentNullException
       // System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationException
       // System.Security.SecurityException
       mro = (MyRequestObject)formatter.Deserialize(ms);
       ms.Close();
       return mro;
    }
}