Hi,

To enable serialization of custom node types, call the RegisterItemClass method when your application initializes, e.g. in Form_Load:

Diagram.RegisterItemClass(typeof(MyControlNode), "MyControlNode", 1);

Now when saving nodes from your type, they will be preceded by "MyControlNode" in the binary stream if using binary serialization, and their <Node> element will have that id as an attribute if using XML serialization. When loading, the control will create an instance of the MyControlNode type when it sees the "MyControlNode" id. To enable instantiating your control, you should also provide either a no-args constructor or one that takes a Diagram argument.

If your class adds any custom fields, you must also override the SaveTo/LoadFrom methods for binary serialization or SaveToXml/LoadFromXml for XML serialization and add code to save or load the fields.

I hope that helps,
Stoyan

Is the Diagram associated with any DiagramView at the time it's being loaded?

???

Well, I modified the code so I Show the form first, which I assume will link the diagram and the diagram view for sure, then I call serialization to load my ControlNode, the same problem still persists.

Any ideas?

Hi Stoyo,

Here are my two constructors, one for diagram and one for diagramView, and I implemented the event handler as follows:    


       public PPICtrlNode(Diagram diagram)
           : base(diagram)
       {
           m_diagram = diagram;
           IItemFactory factory = diagram;
           factory.InstantiateItem += new InstantiateItemEventHandler(OnInstantiateItem);
       }


   public PPICtrlNode(DiagramView diagramView)
           : base(diagramView)
       {
           m_diagram = diagramView.Diagram;
           IItemFactory factory = m_diagram;
           factory.InstantiateItem += new InstantiateItemEventHandler(OnInstantiateItem);
       }

       void OnInstantiateItem(object sender, InstantiateItemEventArgs e)
       {
           if (e.Item == null && e.ItemClass == "PPICtrlNode")
               e.Item = (DiagramItem)(new PPICtrlNode(this.m_diagram));
       }


Unfortunately the result is the same

now i am getting the following exception,


************* Exception Text **************
System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationException: Type 'MindFusion.Diagramming.WinForms.ControlNode' in Assembly 'MindFusion.Diagramming.WinForms, Version=5.2.0.34294, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=21bf4734c13246ea' is not marked as serializable.

This is very strange, I was trying something and suddenly i am getting this messge, surely ControlNode should be serializable, no?