AvalonDock.LayoutRoot doesn't know how to deserialize...

[aelij]

When trying to deserialize a layout, the following exception is thrown:

System.InvalidOperationException: There is an error in XML document (17, 14).
 ---> System.ArgumentException: AvalonDock.LayoutRoot doesn't know how to deserialize 
   at Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutRoot.ReadElement(XmlReader reader)
   at Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutRoot.ReadElementList(XmlReader reader, Boolean isFloatingWindow)
   at Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.LayoutRoot.ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
   at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializationReader.ReadSerializable(IXmlSerializable serializable, Boolean wrappedAny)
   at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializationReader.ReadSerializable(IXmlSerializable serializable)
   at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderLayoutRoot.Read1_LayoutRoot()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(XmlReader xmlReader, String encodingStyle, XmlDeserializationEvents events)
   at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(TextReader textReader)
   at Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock.Layout.Serialization.XmlLayoutSerializer.Deserialize(TextReader reader)

Layout XML:

<LayoutRoot>
  <RootPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
    <LayoutAnchorablePane Id="3305ae34-d029-44f2-a5f1-de32a4e7c7bf" Name="Documents" DockWidth="200" />
    <LayoutDocumentPane>
      <LayoutDocument IsSelected="True" IsLastFocusedDocument="True" LastActivationTimeStamp="01/27/2020 07:52:18" />
      <LayoutDocument />
    </LayoutDocumentPane>
  </RootPanel>
  <TopSide />
  <RightSide />
  <LeftSide>
    <LayoutAnchorGroup PreviousContainerId="3305ae34-d029-44f2-a5f1-de32a4e7c7bf">
      <LayoutAnchorable CanHide="False" AutoHideWidth="200" AutoHideMinWidth="100" AutoHideMinHeight="100" Title="Documents" ContentId="DocumentTree" CanClose="False" CanFloat="False" />
    </LayoutAnchorGroup>
  </LeftSide>
  <BottomSide />
</LayoutRoot>

Looking at the stack on first-chance exception, the xmlReader is at EOF (NodeType=None) so the following method should check that condition:

AvalonDock/source/Components/AvalonDock/Layout/LayoutRoot.cs

Line 1034 in 140986a

private object ReadElement(XmlReader reader)

Note the same code worked just fine in the WPF Toolkit version.

[Dirkster99]

Hi, thanks for your feedback. Just to clearify your change request. Are you suggesting to change the 2nd if statement in private object ReadElement(XmlReader reader) as shown below:

if (reader.NodeType == XmlNodeType.EndElement || reader.NodeType == XmlNodeType.None)
{
    return null;
}

Please let me know if this should work for you. Thanx Dirk

[Dirkster99]

Hi,

I cannot directly verify your exakt problem unless you give me a Layout that I can use with a test application in the repository (eg. Save a sample layout with MLibTest).

Nethertheless, I've tried to triangulate your problem and found a possible fix in this branch:
Fix_Issue_111

Would you please test this branch and let me know whether this works for you? It is important that you test more than the error case because I received errors (when loading a layout) about the PreviousContainerId not being resolvable and I am not sure whether thats because:

1. I manipulated the layout manually or
2. whether this is a direct problem with the current fix candidate?

[aelij]

@Dirkster99 Sorry for not replying earlier. Your fix works, thanks a lot!! ❤️

[Dirkster99]

It was @scdmitryvodich fix that worked I was not able to pin this one (sadly) - so I only released it but thanks for the good feedback :-)