Question

I have a tried list, array and all different types

I have a list of items which is serializing just fine

in c#

public mySortableBindingList<Item> TransactionLines = new mySortableBindingList<Item>();

in vb.net

Public WithEvents TransactionLines As New mySortableBindingList(Of Item)

xml output is

<TransactionLines>
   <Item>
    <elements>
   </item>
   <Item>
    <elements>
   </item>
</TransactionLines>

my serilization method is the following

In C#

public string SerializeToXML<T>(T obj)
{
string XMLString = "";
try {
    XmlSerializer mySerializer = new XmlSerializer(obj.GetType());

    using (MemoryStream myMemStream = new MemoryStream()) {
        mySerializer.Serialize(myMemStream, obj);
        myMemStream.SeekToBegin();
        XMLString = myMemStream.ReadToEnd(Encoding.UTF8);
    }
} catch (Exception ex) {

}
return XMLString;
}

In vb.net

 Public Function SerializeToXML(Of T)(ByVal obj As T) As String

        Dim XMLString As String = ""
        Try
            Dim mySerializer As XmlSerializer = New XmlSerializer(obj.GetType)

            Using myMemStream As MemoryStream = New MemoryStream()
                mySerializer.Serialize(myMemStream, obj)
                myMemStream.SeekToBegin()
                XMLString = myMemStream.ReadToEnd(Encoding.UTF8)
            End Using
        Catch ex As Exception

        End Try
        Return XMLString
    End Function

List to be serialized

c#

[XmlElement(Order = 17)]
public mySortableBindingList<ItemSerial> Serials = new mySortableBindingList<ItemSerial>();

vb.net

<XmlElement(Order:=17)>
Public Serials As New mySortableBindingList(Of ItemSerial)

This is my xml output

<Serials>
   <Serial>A</Serial>
   <ExpiryDate>0001-01-01T00:00:00</ExpiryDate>
   <Qty>1</Qty>
</Serials>
<Serials>
   <Serial>B</Serial>
   <ExpiryDate>0001-01-01T00:00:00</ExpiryDate>
   <Qty>1</Qty>
</Serials>

I need the following please explain what I can be doing wrong

  <Serials>
   <ItemSerial>
      <Serial>A</Serial>
      <ExpiryDate>0001-01-01T00:00:00</ExpiryDate>
      <Qty>1</Qty>
   </ItemSerial>
   <ItemSerial>
      <Serial>B</Serial>
      <ExpiryDate>0001-01-01T00:00:00</ExpiryDate>
      <Qty>1</Qty>
   </ItemSerial>
</Serials>

Answer 1

From Richards answer I found that I could use XMLArray attribute which will infer that it is a list and therefore be serialized in the manner I required.