注意串行化过程也能处理对象数据的嵌套。数据被转换成可识别的格式，方便了数据重载（非串行化）以及向另一个系统的数据传输。在数据传输过程时，接收方系统需要知道XML文件的格式（如果预先不知道的话）。因此需要提供一个XML schema文件。.NET框架中的XSD.exe工具可以为串行化XML生成一个schema文件。

下面是用VB.NET编写的例子代码：

Public Class Address
Public Address1 As String
Public Address2 As String
Public City As String
Public State As String
Public Zip As String
Public Country As String
End Class
Public Class Author
Public FirstName As String
Public MiddleName As String
Public LastName As String
Public Title As String
Public Gender As String
Public AddressObject As Address
End Class
Public Class Book
Public AuthorObject As Author
Public Title As String
Public ISBN As String
Public RetailPrice As Double
Public Publisher As String
End Class
Imports System.Xml.Serialization
Imports System.IO
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim BookObject As New Book
Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Book))
Dim writer As New StreamWriter("booktest.xml")
With BookObject
.Title = "Practical LotusScript"
.ISBN = "1884777767 "
.Publisher = "Manning Publications"
.RetailPrice = 43.95
.AuthorObject = New Author
.AuthorObject.FirstName = "Tony"
.AuthorObject.LastName = "Patton"
.AuthorObject.Gender = "Male"
.AuthorObject.AddressObject = New Address
.AuthorObject.AddressObject.Address1 = "1 Main Street"
.AuthorObject.AddressObject.City = "Anywhere"
.AuthorObject.AddressObject.State = "KY"
.AuthorObject.AddressObject.Zip = "40000"
.AuthorObject.AddressObject.Country = "USA"
End With
ser.Serialize(writer, BookObject)
writer.Close()
End Sub
End Module

控制输出
 
 
串行化过程生成标准的XML文件，数据成员转换为XML元素。不过，并非所有的数据成员都变成元素，可以通过在类代码中添加一些标记来控制输出的XML文件。这样，数据成员可以变换为XML属性而非元素，也可以简单的被忽略掉。下面的例子是一段经过修改后的book类VB.NET代码。

Public Class Book
Public AuthorObject As Author
Public Title As String
<System.Xml.Serialization.XmlAttribute()> _
Public ISBN As String
<System.Xml.Serialization.XmlIgnoreAttribute()> _
Public RetailPrice As Double
Public Publisher As String
End Class

这段代码告诉系统在生成XML文件时把类成员ISBN作为XML属性，同时忽略掉RetailPrice成员。这种变化可以在生成的XML文件中可以看出：

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Book xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" ISBN="1884777767 ">
<AuthorObject>
<FirstName>Tony</FirstName>
<LastName>Patton</LastName>
<Gender>Male</Gender>
<AddressObject>
<Address1>1 Main Street</Address1>
<City>Anywhere</City>
<State>KY</State>
<Zip>40000</Zip>
<Country>USA</Country>
</AddressObject>
</AuthorObject>
<Title>Practical LotusScript</Title>
<Publisher>Manning Publications</Publisher>
</Book>

以下是相应的C# 代码：

public class Book {
public Book() { }
public string Title;
public Author AuthorObject;
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlAttribute()]
public string ISBN;
[System.Xml.Serialization.XmlIgnoreAttribute()]
public double RetailPrice;
public string Publisher;
}

上面仅是稍微提了两种标记符号。请查阅.NET文档以获得完整的标记符号。

非串行化
非串行化数据通过调用XmlSerializer类的Deserialize方法可以方便地实现。以下的VB.NET程序片断完成上文中XML文档的非串行化：

Dim BookObject As New Book
Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(Book))
Dim fs As New System.IO.FileStream("booktest.xml", FileMode.Open)
Dim reader As New System.XML.XmlTextReader(fs)
BookObject = CType(ser.Deserialize(reader), Book)

该程序把结果数据放入内存备用。下面是等价的C# 代码：

XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(typeof(Book));
System.IO.FileStreamfs = new System.IO.FileStream("booktest.xml",
FileMode.Open);
System.Xml.XmlTextReader reader = new System.Xml.XmlTextReader(fs);
Book BookObject = (Book)(ser.Deserialize(reader));