TomlSerializer

Static class that provides methods for serializing and deserializing objects to and from TOML format.

Description

Provides static methods for serializing objects to and from TOML via string, Stream, TextReader or TextWriter instances.

For more information on what can be serialized, see the Supported Types page.

For more information on how objects are serialized to TOML, see the Serialization Rules page.

NOTE: There are limitations to the serialization process.

Public Methods

• Serialize(object) : string - Returns a string containing the TOML representation of the serialized object.

• Serialize(object, Stream, bool?) - Writes the TOML representation of the serialized object to the specified stream.

• Serialize(object, TextWriter) - Writes the TOML representation of the serialized object using the specified text writer.

• Deserialize<T>(string) : T - Returns an object of type T deserialized from the TOML string.

• Deserialize<T>(Stream, bool?) : T - Returns an object of type T deserialized from the TOML stream.

• Deserialize<T>(TextReader) : T - Returns an object of type T deserialized from the TOML text reader.

• DeserializeInto(string, object) - Deserializes the TOML string into the specified object, overwriting any existing values.

• DeserializeInto(Stream, object, bool?) - Deserializes the TOML stream into the specified object, overwriting any existing values.

• DeserializeInto(TextReader, object) - Deserializes the TOML text reader into the specified object, overwriting any existing values.

NOTE: The Stream methods do not close the stream after writing to it. To close the stream after writing to it, set the optional leaveOpen parameter to false.

Serialization

The TomlSerializer class can be used to serialize objects to TOML.

The object being serialized must be decorated with the SerializableAttribute. Any child fields that are object types must also be decorated with the SerializableAttribute.

Example

[Serializable]
public class PlayerCharacter
{
    private string _name;
    private int _level;
    private int _health;
    private int _maxHealth;
    private int _gold;
}

// Somewhere else in your code...

public void SavePlayerCharacter(PlayerCharacter playerCharacter)
{
    var directory = UnityEngine.Application.persistentDataPath;
    var saveFile = Path.Combine(directory, "save.toml");
    
    using (var stream = File.OpenWrite(saveFile))
    {
        TomlSerializer.Serialize(playerCharacter, stream);
    }
}

After running the above code, the save.toml file will contain the following:

name = "Player 1"
level = 7
health = 160
maxHealth = 200
gold = 1250

Deserialization

The TomlSerializer class can be used to deserialize objects from TOML.

The object being deserialized must be decorated with the SerializableAttribute. Any child fields that are object types must also be decorated with the SerializableAttribute.

NOTE: When using the Deserialize<T> method, the T type parameter must have a parameterless constructor.

Example

[Serializable]
public class PlayerCharacter
{
    private string _name;
    private int _level;
    private int _health;
    private int _maxHealth;
    private int _gold;
}

// Somewhere else in your code...

public void LoadPlayerCharacter()
{
    var directory = UnityEngine.Application.persistentDataPath;
    var fileToLoad = Path.Combine(directory, "save.toml");
    
    using (var stream = File.OpenRead(fileToLoad))
    {
        var playerCharacter = TomlSerializer.Deserialize<PlayerCharacter>(stream);
        // or...
        var playerCharacter = new PlayerCharacter();
        TomlSerializer.DeserializeInto(stream, playerCharacter);
    }
}