What is the correct way to make a custom .NET Exception serializable?

Question

More specifically, when the exception contains custom objects which may or may not themselves be serializable.

Take this example:

public class MyException : Exception
{
    private readonly string resourceName;
    private readonly IList<string> validationErrors;

    public MyException(string resourceName, IList<string> validationErrors)
    {
        this.resourceName = resourceName;
        this.validationErrors = validationErrors;
    }

    public string ResourceName
    {
        get { return this.resourceName; }
    }

    public IList<string> ValidationErrors
    {
        get { return this.validationErrors; }
    }
}

If this Exception is serialized and de-serialized, the two custom properties (ResourceName and ValidationErrors) will not be preserved. The properties will return null.

Is there a common code pattern for implementing serialization for custom exception?

Answer 1

Base implementation, without custom properties

SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties.cs:

namespace SerializableExceptions
{
    using System;
    using System.Runtime.Serialization;

    [Serializable]
    // Important: This attribute is NOT inherited from Exception, and MUST be specified 
    // otherwise serialization will fail with a SerializationException stating that
    // "Type X in Assembly Y is not marked as serializable."
    public class SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties : Exception
    {
        public SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties()
        {
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties(string message) 
            : base(message)
        {
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties(string message, Exception innerException) 
            : base(message, innerException)
        {
        }

        // Without this constructor, deserialization will fail
        protected SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context) 
            : base(info, context)
        {
        }
    }
}

Full implementation, with custom properties

Complete implementation of a custom serializable exception (MySerializableException), and a derived sealed exception (MyDerivedSerializableException).

The main points about this implementation are summarized here:

1. You must decorate each derived class with the [Serializable] attribute — This attribute is not inherited from the base class, and if it is not specified, serialization will fail with a SerializationException stating that "Type X in Assembly Y is not marked as serializable."
2. You must implement custom serialization. The [Serializable] attribute alone is not enough — Exception implements ISerializable which means your derived classes must also implement custom serialization. This involves two steps:
   1. Provide a serialization constructor. This constructor should be private if your class is sealed, otherwise it should be protected to allow access to derived classes.
   2. Override GetObjectData() and make sure you call through to base.GetObjectData(info, context) at the end, in order to let the base class save its own state.

SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties.cs:

namespace SerializableExceptions
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Runtime.Serialization;
    using System.Security.Permissions;

    [Serializable]
    // Important: This attribute is NOT inherited from Exception, and MUST be specified 
    // otherwise serialization will fail with a SerializationException stating that
    // "Type X in Assembly Y is not marked as serializable."
    public class SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties : Exception
    {
        private readonly string resourceName;
        private readonly IList<string> validationErrors;

        public SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties()
        {
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(string message) 
            : base(message)
        {
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(string message, Exception innerException)
            : base(message, innerException)
        {
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(string message, string resourceName, IList<string> validationErrors)
            : base(message)
        {
            this.resourceName = resourceName;
            this.validationErrors = validationErrors;
        }

        public SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(string message, string resourceName, IList<string> validationErrors, Exception innerException)
            : base(message, innerException)
        {
            this.resourceName = resourceName;
            this.validationErrors = validationErrors;
        }

        [SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.Demand, SerializationFormatter = true)]
        // Constructor should be protected for unsealed classes, private for sealed classes.
        // (The Serializer invokes this constructor through reflection, so it can be private)
        protected SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
            : base(info, context)
        {
            this.resourceName = info.GetString("ResourceName");
            this.validationErrors = (IList<string>)info.GetValue("ValidationErrors", typeof(IList<string>));
        }

        public string ResourceName
        {
            get { return this.resourceName; }
        }

        public IList<string> ValidationErrors
        {
            get { return this.validationErrors; }
        }

        [SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.Demand, SerializationFormatter = true)]
        public override void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
        {
            if (info == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException("info");
            }

            info.AddValue("ResourceName", this.ResourceName);

            // Note: if "List<T>" isn't serializable you may need to work out another
            //       method of adding your list, this is just for show...
            info.AddValue("ValidationErrors", this.ValidationErrors, typeof(IList<string>));

            // MUST call through to the base class to let it save its own state
            base.GetObjectData(info, context);
        }
    }
}

DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperties.cs:

namespace SerializableExceptions
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Runtime.Serialization;
    using System.Security.Permissions;

    [Serializable]
    public sealed class DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty : SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties
    {
        private readonly string username;

        public DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty()
        {
        }

        public DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(string message)
            : base(message)
        {
        }

        public DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(string message, Exception innerException) 
            : base(message, innerException)
        {
        }

        public DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(string message, string username, string resourceName, IList<string> validationErrors) 
            : base(message, resourceName, validationErrors)
        {
            this.username = username;
        }

        public DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(string message, string username, string resourceName, IList<string> validationErrors, Exception innerException) 
            : base(message, resourceName, validationErrors, innerException)
        {
            this.username = username;
        }

        [SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.Demand, SerializationFormatter = true)]
        // Serialization constructor is private, as this class is sealed
        private DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
            : base(info, context)
        {
            this.username = info.GetString("Username");
        }

        public string Username
        {
            get { return this.username; }
        }

        public override void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
        {
            if (info == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException("info");
            }
            info.AddValue("Username", this.username);
            base.GetObjectData(info, context);
        }
    }
}

---

Unit Tests

MSTest unit tests for the three exception types defined above.

UnitTests.cs:

namespace SerializableExceptions
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.IO;
    using System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary;
    using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;

    [TestClass]
    public class UnitTests
    {
        private const string Message = "The widget has unavoidably blooped out.";
        private const string ResourceName = "Resource-A";
        private const string ValidationError1 = "You forgot to set the whizz bang flag.";
        private const string ValidationError2 = "Wally cannot operate in zero gravity.";
        private readonly List<string> validationErrors = new List<string>();
        private const string Username = "Barry";

        public UnitTests()
        {
            validationErrors.Add(ValidationError1);
            validationErrors.Add(ValidationError2);
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void TestSerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties()
        {
            Exception ex =
                new SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties(
                    "Message", new Exception("Inner exception."));

            // Save the full ToString() value, including the exception message and stack trace.
            string exceptionToString = ex.ToString();

            // Round-trip the exception: Serialize and de-serialize with a BinaryFormatter
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();
            using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
            {
                // "Save" object state
                bf.Serialize(ms, ex);

                // Re-use the same stream for de-serialization
                ms.Seek(0, 0);

                // Replace the original exception with de-serialized one
                ex = (SerializableExceptionWithoutCustomProperties)bf.Deserialize(ms);
            }

            // Double-check that the exception message and stack trace (owned by the base Exception) are preserved
            Assert.AreEqual(exceptionToString, ex.ToString(), "ex.ToString()");
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void TestSerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties()
        {
            SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties ex = 
                new SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties(Message, ResourceName, validationErrors);

            // Sanity check: Make sure custom properties are set before serialization
            Assert.AreEqual(Message, ex.Message, "Message");
            Assert.AreEqual(ResourceName, ex.ResourceName, "ex.ResourceName");
            Assert.AreEqual(2, ex.ValidationErrors.Count, "ex.ValidationErrors.Count");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError1, ex.ValidationErrors[0], "ex.ValidationErrors[0]");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError2, ex.ValidationErrors[1], "ex.ValidationErrors[1]");

            // Save the full ToString() value, including the exception message and stack trace.
            string exceptionToString = ex.ToString();

            // Round-trip the exception: Serialize and de-serialize with a BinaryFormatter
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();
            using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
            {
                // "Save" object state
                bf.Serialize(ms, ex);

                // Re-use the same stream for de-serialization
                ms.Seek(0, 0);

                // Replace the original exception with de-serialized one
                ex = (SerializableExceptionWithCustomProperties)bf.Deserialize(ms);
            }

            // Make sure custom properties are preserved after serialization
            Assert.AreEqual(Message, ex.Message, "Message");
            Assert.AreEqual(ResourceName, ex.ResourceName, "ex.ResourceName");
            Assert.AreEqual(2, ex.ValidationErrors.Count, "ex.ValidationErrors.Count");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError1, ex.ValidationErrors[0], "ex.ValidationErrors[0]");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError2, ex.ValidationErrors[1], "ex.ValidationErrors[1]");

            // Double-check that the exception message and stack trace (owned by the base Exception) are preserved
            Assert.AreEqual(exceptionToString, ex.ToString(), "ex.ToString()");
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void TestDerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty()
        {
            DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty ex = 
                new DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty(Message, Username, ResourceName, validationErrors);

            // Sanity check: Make sure custom properties are set before serialization
            Assert.AreEqual(Message, ex.Message, "Message");
            Assert.AreEqual(ResourceName, ex.ResourceName, "ex.ResourceName");
            Assert.AreEqual(2, ex.ValidationErrors.Count, "ex.ValidationErrors.Count");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError1, ex.ValidationErrors[0], "ex.ValidationErrors[0]");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError2, ex.ValidationErrors[1], "ex.ValidationErrors[1]");
            Assert.AreEqual(Username, ex.Username);

            // Save the full ToString() value, including the exception message and stack trace.
            string exceptionToString = ex.ToString();

            // Round-trip the exception: Serialize and de-serialize with a BinaryFormatter
            BinaryFormatter bf = new BinaryFormatter();
            using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
            {
                // "Save" object state
                bf.Serialize(ms, ex);

                // Re-use the same stream for de-serialization
                ms.Seek(0, 0);

                // Replace the original exception with de-serialized one
                ex = (DerivedSerializableExceptionWithAdditionalCustomProperty)bf.Deserialize(ms);
            }

            // Make sure custom properties are preserved after serialization
            Assert.AreEqual(Message, ex.Message, "Message");
            Assert.AreEqual(ResourceName, ex.ResourceName, "ex.ResourceName");
            Assert.AreEqual(2, ex.ValidationErrors.Count, "ex.ValidationErrors.Count");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError1, ex.ValidationErrors[0], "ex.ValidationErrors[0]");
            Assert.AreEqual(ValidationError2, ex.ValidationErrors[1], "ex.ValidationErrors[1]");
            Assert.AreEqual(Username, ex.Username);

            // Double-check that the exception message and stack trace (owned by the base Exception) are preserved
            Assert.AreEqual(exceptionToString, ex.ToString(), "ex.ToString()");
        }
    }
}