/// <summary>
/// Serializes an object. The object could be anything.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="obj">The object to serialize</param>
/// <param name="useSB">Whether this will write to a string builder (if true), or return a string (if false).</param>
/// <param name="sb">The StringBuilder to write to - if <paramref name="useSB"/> is true.</param>
/// <param name="determinedType">The primitive type which has been decided for it.</param>
/// <param name="writeNextInstructionSymbol">Whether it will write \u0001 on the start - usually false if it is serializing the first object in a class.</param>
/// <param name="dnWriteEndLevel">"Do Not Write End Level Symbol" - Marks whether to NOT write \u0005 (if true), commonly used for the last object of all.</param>
/// <returns>If <paramref name="useSB"/> is false, this method will return the result as a string.</returns>
public static string Serialize(dynamic obj, ABSaveType type, ABSaveSettings settings, out ABSavePrimitiveType determinedType, bool useSB = false, StringBuilder sb = null, bool writeNextInstructionSymbol = true, bool dnWriteEndLevel = false)
{
// This will be what to return if useSB is false.
string ret;
// For now, make it so we output "unknown".
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Unknown;
// Check if the object is null... or an IntPtr, write the null symbol - otherwise, we could get a StackOverflowException.
if (obj == null || obj is IntPtr || obj is UIntPtr)
{
return(ABSaveWriter.WriteNullItem(useSB, sb));
}
// Remember what type the object is - as well as the TypeCode.
Type objType = obj.GetType();
var tCode = Type.GetTypeCode(obj.GetType());
// If the object is a string - write it as a string.
if (tCode == TypeCode.String)
{
ret = ABSaveWriter.WriteString(obj, writeNextInstructionSymbol, useSB, sb);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.String;
}
// If the object is a number - write it as a number.
else if (IsNumericType(tCode))
{
ret = ABSaveWriter.WriteNumerical(obj, tCode, true, useSB, sb);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Number;
}
// If the object is an array - serialize it as an array.
else if (IsArray(objType))
{
ret = SerializeArray(obj, objType, type, settings, useSB, sb, dnWriteEndLevel);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Array;
}
// If the object is a dictionary - serialize it as a dictionary.
else if (IsDictionary(objType))
{
ret = SerializeDictionary(obj, type, settings, useSB, sb, dnWriteEndLevel);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Dictionary;
}
// If the object is a boolean - serialize it as a boolean.
else if (tCode == TypeCode.Boolean)
{
ret = SerializeBool(obj, writeNextInstructionSymbol, useSB, sb);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Boolean;
}
// If the object is a DateTime - serialize it as a DateTime.
else if (tCode == TypeCode.DateTime)
{
ret = SerializeDateTime(obj, useSB, sb);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.DateTime;
}
// If it's a type, just write it out using the ABSaveWriter (for some reason there is no TypeConverter built-in for a type!)
else if (obj is Type)
{
ret = SerializeType(obj, useSB, sb);
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Type;
}
// Otherwise, we'll attempt to find a built-in type converter (to a string)
else
{
// Mark it as an object.
determinedType = ABSavePrimitiveType.Object;
// Attempt to get a converter for it.
var canBeTypeConverted = false;
var typeConv = TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(objType);
// Check if the type converter can actually convert it to a string.
if (typeConv.IsValid(obj))
{
if (typeConv.CanConvertTo(typeof(string)))
{
canBeTypeConverted = true;
}
}
// If it can be type converted, convert it using that, and then write it as a string.
if (canBeTypeConverted)
{
ret = ABSaveWriter.WriteString(typeConv.ConvertToString(obj), writeNextInstructionSymbol, useSB, sb);
}
// Otherwise, if it can't be type converted... Manually convert it.
else
{
ret = SerializeObject(obj, type, objType, settings, writeNextInstructionSymbol, useSB, sb, dnWriteEndLevel);
}
}
// Return the result from this.
return(ret);
}
/// <summary>
/// Serializes a DateTime - using the number of ticks on a DateTime.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="obj"></param>
/// <param name="writeNextInstructionSymbol">Whether it will write \u0001 on the start - usually false if it is serializing the first object in a class.</param>
/// <param name="useSB">Whether this will write to a string builder (if true), or return a string (if false).</param>
/// <param name="sb">The StringBuilder to write to - if <paramref name="useSB"/> is true.</param>
/// <returns>If <paramref name="useSB"/> is false, this method will return the result as a string.</returns>
public static string SerializeDateTime(DateTime obj, bool useSB = false, StringBuilder sb = null)
{
// Write the ticks, we're using "WriteNumerical" because the ticks are a long.
return(ABSaveWriter.WriteNumerical(obj.Ticks, TypeCode.Int64, true, useSB, sb));
}