Fluent protobuf-net

Fluent protobuf-net offers an alternative to protobuf-net standard attributes-based mapping and string-based mapping. Fluent protobuf-net lets you write mappings in strongly typed C# code. This allows for easy refactoring, improved readability, more concise code and a natural seperation between mappings and classes.

Example

Mapping using the standard protobuf-net attributes.

    [ProtoContract]
    [ProtoInclude(1, typeof(Bird))]
    [ProtoInclude(2, typeof(Mammal))]
    public class Animal
    {
        [ProtoMember(1)]
        public string Name { get; set; }
        [ProtoMember(2, AsReference = true)]
        public AnimalGroup Group { get; set; }
    }

    [ProtoContract]
    public class Mammal : Animal
    {
        [ProtoMember(1)]
        public bool IsMonotreme { get; set; }
        [ProtoMember(2)]
        public bool LivesOnLand { get; set; }
    }

    [ProtoContract]
    public class Bird: Animal
    {
        [ProtoMember(1)]
        public bool CanFly { get; set; }
    }

    [ProtoContract]
    public class AnimalGroup
    {
        [ProtoMember(1)]
        public string Name { get; set; }
        [ProtoMember(2, AsReference = true)]
        public IList<Animal> Members { get; set; }
        [ProtoMember(3)]
        public bool AreWarmBlooded { get; set; }
    }

Now using Fluent protobuf-net. First the classes, without any special attributes:

    public class Animal
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public AnimalGroup Group { get; set; }
    }

    public class Mammal : Animal
    {
        public bool IsMonotreme { get; set; }
        public bool LivesOnLand { get; set; }
    }

    public class Bird: Animal
    {
        public bool CanFly { get; set; }
    }

    public class AnimalGroup
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public IList<Animal> Members { get; set; }
        public bool AreWarmBlooded { get; set; }
    }

And your mapping classes:

    public class AnimalMap : ClassMap<Animal>
    {
        public AnimalMap()
        {
            Map(a => a.Name, 1);
            References(a => a.Group, 2);
        }
    }

    public class MammalMap : SubclassMap<Mammal>
    {
        public MammalMap()
        {
            SubclassFieldId(2);

            Map(m => m.IsMonotreme, 1);
            Map(m => m.LivesOnLand, 2);
        }
    }

    public class BirdMap : SubclassMap<Bird>
    {
        public BirdMap()
        {
            SubclassFieldId(1);

            Map(b => b.CanFly, 1);
        }
    }

    public class AnimalGroupMap : ClassMap<AnimalGroup>
    {
        public AnimalGroupMap()
        {
            Map(g => g.Name, 1);
            References(g => g.Members, 2);
            Map(g => g.AreWarmBlooded, 3);
        }
    }

To get your RuntimeTypeModel (used to serialize/deserialize), you do:

    var config = Fluently.Configure()
            .Mappings(m => 
                m.FluentMappings.AddFromAssemblyOf<CategoryMap>())
            .BuildConfiguration();
    config.RuntimeTypeModel.Serialize(...);

Thanks

The basic architecture of Fluent protobuf-net was shamelessly copied from Fluent NHibernate. Fluent NHibernate is GREAT; if you use NHibernate, use it.

Future

The library was created in just a few short hours. A lot more is possible:

• Support all of protobuf-net options (IsRequired, DataFormat, etc)
• Automapping (with a standardised way to serialize the generated mappings)
• Conventions

They will be added as I need them, and I'll gladly accept pull requests for features.

Have fun!