Serialization\Deserialization problem

blackice856

I have a Team class that has an LauncherPlayer[] array which stores info about the players. I have serialization and deserialization methods that I have tested without any problems.

The problem is that in my Team class I am serializing the array, with no problems (I guess, at least I get no errors), but upon deserialization I get an object of type string instead of LauncherPlayer[] type.

Team class:

public class Team
    {
    private int teamID;
    private LauncherPlayer[] players;
    private int playersJoined = 0;
    }
     
    public static byte[] serializeTeam(object o)
    {
    Team team = (Team)o;
    var playerBytes = ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(team.players);
    //Lenght = playerBytes.Lenght + (4 * 3) (4 bytes in size, 3 ints)
    byte[] bytes = new byte[playerBytes.Length + 12];
    int index = 0;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(team.teamID, bytes, ref index);
    //We need to store the lenght for deserialization
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(playerBytes.Length, bytes, ref index);
    System.Array.Copy(playerBytes, 0, bytes, index, playerBytes.Length);
    index += playerBytes.Length;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(team.playersJoined, bytes, ref index);
    return bytes;
    }
     
    public static object deserializeTeam(byte[] bytes)
    {
    Team team = new Team();
    int index = 0;
    int playerBytesLength;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out team.teamID, bytes, ref index);
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out playerBytesLength, bytes, ref index);
    var playerBytes = new byte[playerBytesLength];
    System.Array.Copy(bytes, index, playerBytes, 0, playerBytesLength);
    index += playerBytes.Length;
    Debug.Log(ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(playerBytes).GetType());
    Debug.Log((string)ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(playerBytes)+",");
    //team.players = (LauncherPlayer[]) ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(playerBytes);
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out team.playersJoined, bytes, ref index);
    return team;
    }

LauncherPlayer class:

    public class LauncherPlayer {
     
    private string playerName;
    private int teamID = -1;
    private int pos = -1;
    private bool ready = false;
    }
     
    public static byte[] serializePlayer(object o)
    {
    LauncherPlayer player = (LauncherPlayer)o;
    var nameBytes = ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(player.playerName);
    //Lenght playerBytes.Lenght + (4 * 3) (4 bytes in size, 3 ints) + (1 byte from bool)
    byte[] bytes = new byte[nameBytes.Length + 13];
    int index = 0;
    //We need to store the lenght for deserialization
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(nameBytes.Length, bytes, ref index);
    System.Array.Copy(nameBytes, 0, bytes, index, nameBytes.Length);
    index += nameBytes.Length;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(player.teamID, bytes, ref index);
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Serialize(player.pos, bytes, ref index);
    bytes[index] = player.ready ? (byte) 1 : (byte) 0;
    return bytes;
    }
     
    public static object deserializePlayer(byte[] bytes)
    {
    LauncherPlayer player = new LauncherPlayer();
    int index = 0;
    int nameBytesLenght;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out nameBytesLenght, bytes, ref index);
    var nameBytes = new byte[nameBytesLenght];
    System.Array.Copy(bytes, index, nameBytes, 0, nameBytesLenght);
    player.playerName = (string)ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(nameBytes);
    index += nameBytes.Length;
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out player.teamID, bytes, ref index);
    ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(out player.pos, bytes, ref index);
    byte b = bytes [index];
    player.ready = b == (byte)1 ? true : false;
    return player;
    }

Console output:

System.String
    ,

Thanks in advance!

ArkaneX

Hi - I think the link to the original question and my answer would help ExitGames' developers to better handle the issue: http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/87 ... oblem.html

blackice856

I completely forgot to post the link. I have been really busy but as soon as I have some time I will implement your solution. Once again, thanks very much for all your help.

blackice856

I'm really sorry to be a pain in the ass, but this subject goes by far out of my knowledge.

I have implemented your code. Now the objects type comes out right - LauncherPlayer[].
The problem is that the reference comes back null. Should the deserialize method be modified aswell?

I'm really lost here.

ArkaneX

I'm now at work and using another computer, but I'll try to look at my code later, to see if I made any other changes.

But just to be sure - did you uncomment the line:

team.players = (LauncherPlayer[]) ExitGames.Client.Photon.Protocol.Deserialize(playerBytes);

?

blackice856

Gosh that was it...

ArkaneX

:P

If this completely solves the problem, then accepting the answer at Unity Answers would be most welcome