Object Serialization in Delphi - Part II

This is a unit based on JVCL’s JvgXMLSerializer (from old Globus library). It has some basic classes used for object serialization:

unit XMLSerializer;

interface

uses
  SysUtils, Classes, JvgXMLSerializer;

type
  TXMLSerializer = class(TJvgXMLSerializer)
 private
    { Private declarations }
  protected
    { Protected declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }
    procedure Serialize(Component: TObject; var s: string); overload;
   procedure DeSerialize(Component: TObject; s: string); overload;
 published
    { Published declarations }
  end;

 TSerializable = class(TPersistent)
 public
    { Public declarations }
    function Serialize: string;
   procedure DeSerialize(s: string);
 end;

implementation

{ TXMLSerializer }

procedure TXMLSerializer.DeSerialize(Component: TObject; s: string);
var
  Stream: TStringStream;
begin
  Stream := TStringStream.Create(s);
 try
    DeSerialize(Component, Stream);
 finally
    Stream.Free;
 end;
end;

procedure TXMLSerializer.Serialize(Component: TObject; var s: string);
var
  Stream: TStringStream;
begin
  Stream := TStringStream.Create('');
 try
    Serialize(Component, Stream);
   s := Stream.DataString;
 finally
    Stream.Free;
 end;
end;

{ TSerializable }

procedure TSerializable.DeSerialize(s: string);
var
  Serializer: TXMLSerializer;
begin
  Serializer := TXMLSerializer.Create(nil);
 try
    Serializer.DeSerialize(Self, s);
 finally
    Serializer.Free;
 end;
end;

function TSerializable.Serialize: string;
var
  Serializer: TXMLSerializer;
begin
  Serializer := TXMLSerializer.Create(nil);
 try
    Serializer.Serialize(Self, Result);
 finally
    Serializer.Free;
 end;
end;

end.

The classes declared are:

TXMLSerializer: my direct descendant of TJvgXMLSerializer. It implements two new methods:
- Serialize: serialize an instance directly to a string, without the necessity of creating a TStream;
- DeSerialize: receive a string as a parameter containing the XML and deserialize the instance.

TSerializable: a TPersistent descendant that implements the Serialize and DeSerialize methods too.
They both work to serialize and deserialize itself.
All my "serializable" classes are direct descendants of TSerializable.

I've modified the original JVCL unit TvgXMLSerializer (using latest version 3.33) to make it compatible with VCL.NET (using BDS 2006).
Using that unit I can create serializable classes that can be shared - and used - among Win32 and .NET modules. Not only creating single sorced projects, but I can pass a XML to a ASP.NET WebService from my Win32 consumer client, in an easy and convinient way.
More about it later. ;-)