Does the type mListColor represents still exist as well?  If not, then that
could be your problem as well.  If that isn't it then please send a more
complete stack trace and a repro if possible.

Thanks.

Matt Tavis

Program Manager
XML Web Services
Microsoft Corporation

--------------------
From: "Tim Anderson" <timjand@hotmail.com>
Subject: SOAP serialization exception
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:38:17 +0100
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I have an app that uses the SOAP serializer to serialize and deserialize a
object of a certain class to a file. The class implements ISerializable.
From time to time it is necessary to add or remove fields from the class.
I've been able to deserialize out-of-date versions by handling serialization
exceptions in Sub New(ByVal info As SerializationInfo, ByVal context As
StreamingContext).

I've now hit a problem. With the latest version, if I try to deserialize an
out-of-date XML file I get an exception *before* my constructor starts to
run. Visual Studio reports:

A first chance exception of type
'System.Runtime.Serialization.SerializationException' occurred in
system.runtime.serialization.formatters.soap.dll
The message is: Top Object cannot be instantiated for element 'mListColor'.

mListColor is a field that no longer exists; however even if I do the
obvious thing and add it back, I still get the same error.

The serialization and deserialization works fine with newly serialized
files; it is just deserializing the old version that is not working.

How can I troubleshoot this?

Thanks for any advice,

Tim