How to: Make Entities Serializable (LINQ to SQL)

You can make entities serializable when you generate your code. Entity classes are decorated with the DataContractAttribute attribute, and columns with the DataMemberAttribute attribute.

Developers using Visual Studio can use the Object Relational Designer for this purpose. Object Relational Designer (O/R Designer)
Object Relational Designer (O/R Designer)

If you are using the SQLMetal command-line tool, use the /serialization option with the unidirectional argument. For more information, see Code Generation Tool (SqlMetal.exe).

Example

The following SQLMetal command lines produce files that have serializable entities.

sqlmetal /code:nwserializable.vb /language:vb "c:\northwnd.mdf" /sprocs /functions /pluralize /serialization:unidirectional

sqlmetal /code:nwserializable.cs /language:csharp "c:\northwnd.mdf" /sprocs /functions /pluralize /serialization:unidirectional

See Also

Concepts

Serialization (LINQ to SQL)

Other Resources

Creating the Object Model (LINQ to SQL)