Thursday, April 25, 2013

Simple C# Unity Serializer

I wrote this class to serializes common unity types into and out of a byte array. Its nothing fancy, but its handy for networking player state.

     //--- Serialize ---  
     UnitySerializer srlzr = new UnitySerializer();  
     srlzr.Serialize(new Vector3(4, 8, 6));  
     byte[] byteArray = srlzr.ByteArray;  
   
     // send byte array somewhere..  
   
     //--- Deserialize ---  
     UnitySerializer dsrlzr = new UnitySerializer(byteArray);  
     Vector3 point3 = dsrlzr.DeserializeVector3();  

It supports Vector3, Vector2 and Quaternions, as well as the common primitives and its easy enough to extend to extra types. Just be sure to deserialize the data in the same order it was serialized. Check out the Example() function at the bottom to see how it works.


 // Author: Richard Pieterse, April 2013  
   
 using UnityEngine;  
 using System.Collections.Generic;  
 using System;  
   
 public class UnitySerializer {  
   
   private List<byte> byteStream = new List<byte>();  
   private byte[] byteArray;  
   private int index = 0;  
   
   /// <summary>  
   /// Returns the stream as a Byte Array  
   /// </summary>  
   public byte[] ByteArray  
   {  
     get  
     {  
       if ( byteArray == null || byteStream.Count != byteArray.Length)  
         byteArray = byteStream.ToArray();  
   
       return byteArray;  
     }  
   }  
   
   /// <summary>  
   /// Create a new empty stream  
   /// </summary>  
   public UnitySerializer()  
   {  
   
   }  
   
   /// <summary>  
   /// Initialiaze a stream from a byte array.  
   /// Used for deserilaizing a byte array  
   /// </summary>  
   /// <param name="ByteArray"></param>  
   public UnitySerializer(byte[] ByteArray)  
   {  
     byteArray = ByteArray;  
     byteStream = new List<byte>(ByteArray);  
   }  
   
     
   
   // --- double ---  
   public void Serialize(double d)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange( BitConverter.GetBytes(d));  
   
   }  
   
   public double DeserializeDouble()  
   {  
     double d = BitConverter.ToDouble(ByteArray, index); index += 8;  
     return d;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- bool ---  
   public void Serialize(bool b)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(b));  
   }  
   
   public bool DeserializeBool()  
   {  
     bool b = BitConverter.ToBoolean(ByteArray, index); index += 1;  
     return b;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- Vector2 ---  
   public void Serialize(Vector2 v)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(GetBytes(v));  
   }  
   
   public Vector2 DeserializeVector2()  
   {  
     Vector2 vector2 = new Vector2();  
     vector2.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     vector2.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     return vector2;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- Vector3 ---  
   public void Serialize(Vector3 v)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(GetBytes(v));  
   }  
   
   public Vector3 DeserializeVector3()  
   {  
     Vector3 vector3 = new Vector3();  
     vector3.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     vector3.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     vector3.z = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     return vector3;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- Type ---  
   public void Serialize(System.Type t)  
   {  
     // serialize type as string  
     string typeStr = t.ToString();  
     Serialize(typeStr);  
   }  
   
   public Type DeserializeType()  
   {  
     // type stored as string  
     string typeStr = DeserializeString();  
     return Type.GetType(typeStr); ;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- String ---  
   public void Serialize(string s)  
   {  
     // add the length as a header  
     byteStream.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(s.Length));  
     foreach (char c in s)  
       byteStream.Add((byte)c);  
   }  
   
   public string DeserializeString()  
   {  
     int length = BitConverter.ToInt32(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     string s = "";  
     for (int i = 0; i < length; i++)  
     {  
       s += (char)ByteArray[index];  
       index++;  
     }  
   
     return s;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- byte[] ---  
   public void Serialize(byte[] b)  
   {  
     // add the length as a header  
     byteStream.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(b.Length));  
     byteStream.AddRange(b);  
   }  
   
   public byte[] DeserializeByteArray()  
   {  
     int length = BitConverter.ToInt32(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     byte[] bytes = new byte[length];  
     for (int i = 0; i < length; i++)  
     {  
       bytes[i] = ByteArray[index];  
       index++;  
     }  
      
     return bytes;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- Quaternion ---  
   public void Serialize(Quaternion q)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(GetBytes(q));  
   }  
   
   public Quaternion DeserializeQuaternion()  
   {  
     Quaternion quat = new Quaternion();  
     quat.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     quat.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     quat.z = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     quat.w = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     return quat;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- float ---  
   public void Serialize(float f)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(f));  
   }  
   
   public float DeserializeFloat()  
   {  
     float f = BitConverter.ToSingle(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     return f;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- int ---  
   public void Serialize(int i)  
   {  
     byteStream.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(i));  
   }  
   
   public int DeserializeInt()  
   {  
     int i = BitConverter.ToInt32(ByteArray, index); index += 4;  
     return i;  
   }  
   //  
   
   // --- internal ----  
   Vector3 DeserializeVector3(byte[] bytes, ref int index)  
   {  
     Vector3 vector3 = new Vector3();  
     vector3.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     vector3.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     vector3.z = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
   
     return vector3;  
   }  
   
   Quaternion DeserializeQuaternion(byte[] bytes, ref int index)  
   {  
     Quaternion quat = new Quaternion();  
     quat.x = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     quat.y = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     quat.z = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     quat.w = BitConverter.ToSingle(bytes, index); index += 4;  
     return quat;  
   }  
   
   byte[] GetBytes(Vector2 v)  
   {  
     List<byte> bytes = new List<byte>(8);  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(v.x));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(v.y));  
     return bytes.ToArray();  
   }  
   
   byte[] GetBytes(Vector3 v)  
   {  
     List<byte> bytes = new List<byte>(12);  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(v.x));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(v.y));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(v.z));  
     return bytes.ToArray();  
   }  
   
   byte[] GetBytes(Quaternion q)  
   {  
     List<byte> bytes = new List<byte>(16);  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(q.x));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(q.y));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(q.z));  
     bytes.AddRange(BitConverter.GetBytes(q.w));  
     return bytes.ToArray();  
   }  
   
   public static void Example()  
   {  
     //  
     Debug.Log("--- UnitySerializer Example ---");  
     Vector2 point      = UnityEngine.Random.insideUnitCircle;  
     Vector3 position    = UnityEngine.Random.onUnitSphere;  
     Quaternion quaternion  = UnityEngine.Random.rotation;  
     float f         = UnityEngine.Random.value;  
     int i          = UnityEngine.Random.Range(0, 10000);  
     double d        = (double)UnityEngine.Random.Range(0, 10000);  
     string s        = "Brundle Fly";  
     bool b         = UnityEngine.Random.value < 0.5f ? true : false;  
     System.Type type    = typeof(UnitySerializer);  
   
     //  
     Debug.Log("--- Before ---");  
     Debug.Log(point + " " + position + " " + quaternion + " " + f + " " + d + " " + s + " " + b + " " + type);  
   
     //  
     Debug.Log("--- Serialize ---");  
     UnitySerializer us = new UnitySerializer();  
     us.Serialize(point);  
     us.Serialize(position);  
     us.Serialize(quaternion);  
     us.Serialize(f);  
     us.Serialize(i);  
     us.Serialize(d);  
     us.Serialize(s);  
     us.Serialize(b);  
     us.Serialize(type);  
     byte[] byteArray = us.ByteArray;  
       
     // the array must be deserialized in the same order as it was serialized  
     Debug.Log("--- Deserialize ---");  
     UnitySerializer uds   = new UnitySerializer(byteArray);  
     Vector2 point2     = uds.DeserializeVector2();  
     Vector3 position2    = uds.DeserializeVector3();  
     Quaternion quaternion2 = uds.DeserializeQuaternion();  
     float f2        = uds.DeserializeFloat();  
     int i2         = uds.DeserializeInt();  
     double d2        = uds.DeserializeDouble();  
     string s2        = uds.DeserializeString();  
     bool b2         = uds.DeserializeBool();  
     System.Type type2    = uds.DeserializeType();  
   
     //  
     Debug.Log("--- After ---");  
     Debug.Log(point2 + " " + position2 + " " + quaternion2 + " " + f2 + " " + d2 + " " + s2 + " " + b2 + " " + type2);  
   }  
 }  
   

5 comments:

  1. thanks!!! I have extended it for rect and colors. It would be good to have included in your script too I feel the sake of completness.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You should upload this to the asset store =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you so much. This helped me alot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I'm using the same blog platform as yours and I'm having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!

    ReplyDelete