c# xmlSerializer fails because POCO generator creating ICollection objects

Question

I have seen a lot of issues using the XmlSerializer on SO, and yes most of the issues seem to be around complex objects.

Mine issue is the same in essence, but with a twist.

I have used the Entityframework POCO generator to create my database objects.

Now, I am trying to compare complex objects using XmlSerializer.

So in my save, I am doing the following:

viewModelObj             = returned object model from MVC page.
db.originalData.ToList() = original data object

var a = SerializeObject(viewModelObj);
var b = SerializeObject(db.originalData.ToList()); 

with the following definition for my SerializeObject function.

public static string SerializeObject(this List<myObject> toSerialize)
{
        var xmlSerializer = new XmlSerializer(toSerialize.GetType());
        using (StringWriter textWriter = new StringWriter())
        {
            xmlSerializer.Serialize(textWriter, toSerialize);
            return textWriter.ToString();
        }
 }

Because myObject repersents my POCO classes, Lists are defined as ICollection, which in turn causes the XmlSerializer to fail with the following message:

Cannot serialize member toSerialize of type System.Collections.Generic.ICollection`1[[myObject]] because it is an interface.

Which is the correct response.

Every time i run the EF POCO Generator, it changes everything back to ICollections, so my question is how can i use XmlSerializer using the POCO classes?

Update

Changed code from

public static string SerializeObject(this List<myObject> toSerialize)

to

public static string SerializeObject<T>(this List<T> toSerialize)

This is when I get the error message:

Cannot serialize member [object] of type System.Collection.Generic.ICollection'1[[object]] because it is an interface.

Answer 1

Just given up. re coded around this issue by adding a status field and checking to see if it has changed.