NET8: BinaryFormatter not supported when .resx contains "application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64"

[panxn]

Description

I'm using .NET8, our .resx files contains <data name="imageList1.ImageStream" mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64">

They can be successfully built but throw exception at runtime.

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization are disabled within this application.

I know BinaryFormatter is going to be deprecated, and I can re-enable it by EnableUnsafeBinaryFormatterSerialization=true, but it's just a temporary solution.

Will dotnet team enhance the build tool to support these .resx files? or we developers should update .resx files? and what is the recommended way?

BTW, is there some help document for developers to adapt to the obsolescence of BinaryFormatter? For example, how to read existing files saved by BinaryFormatter, how to deal with application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64 in .resx. I believe it will be very helpful.

Reproduction Steps

No

Expected behavior

If mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64" can be built, it should not throw.

Actual behavior

It throws exception.

Regression?

No response

Known Workarounds

No response

Configuration

No response

Other information

No response

[GrabYourPitchforks]

Linking related issues: dotnet/runtime#88217, dotnet/runtime#88316

Tagging subscribers to this area: @dotnet/area-system-runtime
See info in area-owners.md if you want to be subscribed.

Issue Details

---

Description

I'm using .NET8, our .resx files contains <data name="imageList1.ImageStream" mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64">

They can be successfully built but throw exception at runtime.

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization are disabled within this application.

I know BinaryFormatter is going to be deprecated, and I can re-enable it by EnableUnsafeBinaryFormatterSerialization=true, but it's just a temporary solution.

Will dotnet team enhance the build tool to support these .resx files? or we developers should update .resx files? and what is the recommended way?

BTW, is there some help document for developers to adapt to the obsolescence of BinaryFormatter? For example, how to read existing files saved by BinaryFormatter, how to deal with application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64 in .resx. I believe it will be very helpful.

Reproduction Steps

No

Expected behavior

If mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64" can be built, it should not throw.

Actual behavior

It throws exception.

Regression?

No response

Known Workarounds

No response

Configuration

No response

Other information

No response

Author:	panxn
Assignees:	-
Labels:	area-System.Runtime, untriaged
Milestone:	-

Tagging subscribers to this area: @dotnet/area-system-resources
See info in area-owners.md if you want to be subscribed.

Issue Details

---

Description

I'm using .NET8, our .resx files contains <data name="imageList1.ImageStream" mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64">

They can be successfully built but throw exception at runtime.

BinaryFormatter serialization and deserialization are disabled within this application.

I know BinaryFormatter is going to be deprecated, and I can re-enable it by EnableUnsafeBinaryFormatterSerialization=true, but it's just a temporary solution.

Will dotnet team enhance the build tool to support these .resx files? or we developers should update .resx files? and what is the recommended way?

BTW, is there some help document for developers to adapt to the obsolescence of BinaryFormatter? For example, how to read existing files saved by BinaryFormatter, how to deal with application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64 in .resx. I believe it will be very helpful.

Reproduction Steps

No

Expected behavior

If mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64" can be built, it should not throw.

Actual behavior

It throws exception.

Regression?

No response

Known Workarounds

No response

Configuration

No response

Other information

No response

Author:	panxn
Assignees:	-
Labels:	area-System.Resources, untriaged
Milestone:	-

[ericstj]

@dotnet/dotnet-winforms and @dotnet/project-system for additional help here. I believe they are working on things that can help you.

In the case of imageList1.ImageStream this is an https://github.com/dotnet/winforms/blob/bb80c8dcb9df853e116d4eaba442c86b62273f72/src/System.Windows.Forms/src/System/Windows/Forms/ImageListStreamer.cs @lonitra @JeremyKuhne - how should folks move to a non-binary formatted version of this type?

[JeremyKuhne]

@lonitra @JeremyKuhne - how should folks move to a non-binary formatted version of this type?

@panxn The more explicit the details of your scenario the better we'll be able to help you. How are you getting these into your resx and consuming them? Is this just from using the WinForms designer?

In .NET 8 if you use ResxResourceReader/Writer directly it will work with some .NET binary formatted types without the BinaryFormatter enabled. We're planning on handling the WinForms types that need the BinaryFormatter, but that probably won't be complete until .NET 9.

If you need or want to continue using resx, the general recommendation is to create type converters for all of your own types that you wish to serialize and apply them to types via the [TypeConverter] attribute. Type converters that round trip with string or byte[] are always preferred over BinaryFormatter.

[panxn]

@JeremyKuhne I tried following steps to add application/x-microsoft.net.object.binary.base64 into .resx successfully:

1. create winform project in VS
2. double click "Form1.cs" to enter designer
3. View->Toolbox, drag "ImageList" to main panel
4. in "Properties" palette, click "Choose images", add images and save

Perhaps ResXResourceWriter is another way, I didn't try it.

I can workaround this problem by setting EnableUnsafeBinaryFormatterSerialization=true. However, I know this way is not available is .NET9. so I created this issue to look for a long-term solution.

[JeremyKuhne]

@panxn Thanks for the additional information! We're planning to figure out a solution for the WinForms designer for .NET 9 for core WinForms types (which this is one). We'll also be looking at giving guidance in the designer when BinaryFormatter scenarios come up. As your particular scenario is with the WinForms designer, I'm going to move this to our repository.

WinForms and WPF projects should have the BinaryFormatter enabled by default for .NET 8. If this isn't happening for your project we can investigate with @GrabYourPitchforks.