WinForms charting controls support built-in chart serialization, a feature that enables users to persist a complete chart definition to a single XML string, then reload it in the same or a different .NET application. By leveraging the .NET XmlSerializer, it works seamlessly across all .NET platforms.

Supported Controls:

• FlexChart
• FlexPie
• FlexRadar
• Sunburst
• TreeMap

Note: The FinancialChart control does not support serialization.

The feature uses two static methods of C1.Chart.Serialization.Serializer class:

• SerializeToXml Method
• DeserializeFromXml()

Usage Example

To enable the extension methods, add the namespace at the top of the code file. The following code demonstrates how to persist and restore a FlexChart with its Data.

// add namespace to use extension serialization methods
using C1.Chart.Serialization;
// create charts
...
// Save chart
var xml = flexChart.SerializeToXml();
// Later or elsewhere…
// Restore chart definition in new instance of chart
var newChart = new FlexChart();
newChart.DeserializeFromXml(xml);

The following code demonstrates how to share definition between two FlexPie.

// Save only formatting, omit data
var xml = flexPie.SerializeToXml(false);
// Load layout into another chart without changing its data
anotherFlexPie.DeserializeFromXml(xml);

Note: If serializeData is set to false, the data will not be saved during serialization. Ensure you rebind or supply the data manually before or after deserialization.