Its only 77 lines so here it is using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Text; using System.Xml.Serialization; namespace tools { [XmlRoot("dictionary")] public class SerializableDictionary<TKey, TValue> : Dictionary<TKey, TValue>, IXmlSerializable { #region IXmlSerializable Members public System.Xml.Schema.XmlSchema GetSchema() { return null; } public void ReadXml(System.Xml.XmlReader reader) { XmlSerializer keySerializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(TKey)); XmlSerializer valueSerializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(TValue)); bool wasEmpty = reader.IsEmptyElement; reader.Read(); if (wasEmpty) return; while (reader.NodeType != System.Xml.XmlNodeType.EndElement) { reader.ReadStartElement("item"); reader.ReadStartElement("key"); TKey key = (TKey)keySerializer.Deserialize(reader); reader.ReadEndElement(); reader.ReadStartElement("value"); TValue value = (TValue)valueSerializer.Deserialize(reader); reader.ReadEndElement(); this.Add(key, value); reader.ReadEndElement(); reader.MoveToContent(); }//while reader.ReadEndElement(); } //ReadXml public void WriteXml(System.Xml.XmlWriter writer) { XmlSerializer keySerializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(TKey)); XmlSerializer valueSerializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(TValue)); foreach (TKey key in this.Keys) { writer.WriteStartElement("item"); writer.WriteStartElement("key"); keySerializer.Serialize(writer, key); writer.WriteEndElement(); writer.WriteStartElement("value"); TValue value = this[key]; valueSerializer.Serialize(writer, value); writer.WriteEndElement(); writer.WriteEndElement(); }//foreach ( }//WriteXml #endregion }//End class } // namespace SpeechWrapper.Martialer From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rick watson Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:14 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: deserializing and serializing generic collections Hi Ken, That would be appreciated. Thanks rick From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ken Perry Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 7:34 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: deserializing and serializing generic collections I could send you an example of a serializable dictionary I created from examples on line I don't have a book I could point you at I just did a lot of searching on google to find the info. Ken From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rick watson Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:14 AM To: BlindGeeks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: deserializing and serializing generic collections Good morning listers, Does anyone out there have pointers for serialization / deserialization of generic collections in c#. I wish to create xml for a defined generic collection. Thanks for any pointers. Rick