In the code that I’m working on, there are some properties that are serialized.

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Asked: June 13, 20262026-06-13T11:06:29+00:00 2026-06-13T11:06:29+00:00

In the code that I’m working on, there are some properties that are serialized.

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In the code that I’m working on, there are some properties that are serialized. All of them works fine as far as I can see, but one. Here’s the code:

    // Fields that the properties use.
    private bool _useAlertColors = false;
    private List<Int32> _colorArgb = new List<Int32>(new Int32[]{Color.White.ToArgb(), Color.Yellow.ToArgb(), Color.Red.ToArgb()});

    // The one that does not work.
    public List<Color> AlertColors
    {
        get
        {
            List<Color> alertColors = new List<Color>();

            foreach (Int32 colorValue in _colorArgb)
            {
                alertColors.Add(Color.FromArgb(colorValue));
            }

            return alertColors;
        }

        set
        {
            // If there's any difference in colors
            // then add the new color
            for (int i = 0; i < _colorArgb.Count; i++)
            {
                if (_colorArgb[i] != value[i].ToArgb())
                {
                    _colorArgb[i] = value[i].ToArgb();
                    HasChanged = true;
                }

            }
        }
    }

    // One of those that work.
    public bool UseAlertColors
    {
        get
        {
            return _useAlertColors;
        }

        set
        {
            if (_useAlertColors != value)
            {
                _useAlertColors = value;
                HasChanged = true;
            }
        }
    }

    // Serializing method.
    public bool Serialize(string filePath)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(filePath))
        {
            Logger.Log("Can't save settings, empty or null file path.");

            return false;
        }

        FileStream fileStream = null;

        try
        {
            fileStream = new FileStream(filePath, FileMode.Create);
            FilePath = filePath;
            System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializerFactory xmlSerializerFactory =
                new XmlSerializerFactory();
            System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer xmlSerializer =
                xmlSerializerFactory.CreateSerializer(typeof(Settings));

            xmlSerializer.Serialize(fileStream, this);

            Logger.Log("Settings have been saved successfully to the file " + filePath);
        }
        catch (ArgumentException argumentException)
        {
            Logger.Log("Error while saving the settings. " + argumentException.Message);

            return false;
        }
        catch (IOException iOException)
        {
            Logger.Log("Error while saving the settings. " + iOException.Message);

            return false;
        }
        finally
        {
            if (fileStream != null)
                fileStream.Close();
        }

        return true;
    }

After the serialization, this is what I end up with:

  <UseAlertColors>true</UseAlertColors>
  <AlertColors>
    <Color />
    <Color />
    <Color />
  </AlertColors>

What is wrong with the AlertColors property? Why is it not serialized?

Edit: I’ve changed the AlertColors property accordingly and it still is not working:

    public List<int> AlertColors
    {
        get
        {
            return _colorArgb;
        }

        set
        {
            // If there's any difference in colors
            // then add the new color
            for (int i = 0; i < _colorArgb.Count; i++)
            {
                if (_colorArgb[i] != value[i])
                {
                    _colorArgb[i] = value[i];
                    HasChanged = true;
                }

            }
        }
    }

What I get in the .xml file is this:

  <AlertColors>
    <int>-1</int>
    <int>-8355840</int>
    <int>-65536</int>
  </AlertColors>

Which are the very first values that were set when the _colorArgb field was initialized. I can see the field change during the program execution, but when the covering property is serialized, it is serialized with the initial value of the underlying field.

What is causing the problem?