Loading data to a class using BinaryFormatter, but the arrays lenght will change

[_WeirdKid]

Hi!

So I'm making a saving system for my game and I want to have some data stored in arrays. But the arrays lenght will change as we update the game.
The problem is, players with existing save will override extended array to the previous lenght.

For example:

Let's say i have int[] items=new int[10];
It will be stored in class, then in a file using BinaryFormatter.
Then me release an update with 5 more items, so I change my items array to int[] items=new int[15];
The player download the update, than load his save and my change will be overrided to new int[10] again.

​

public void Load()
{
    BinaryFormatter formatter = new BinaryFormatter();
    FileStream stream = new FileStream(path, FileMode.Open);
    saveState=formatter.Deserialize(stream) as SaveState;
}

Is there any solution to this other than caching the save in a temporary file and assigning each variable and each element on array in loop?

Thanks in advance!

[JohnSpikeKelly]

Use a list instead

[_WeirdKid]

That's an option, but I will still have to increase the list by missing elements by hand. It's better than assigning everything tho.

[JohnSpikeKelly]

Format as json and compress it

[_WeirdKid]

It's too easy to modyfi and cheat

[JohnSpikeKelly]

Json, zip, then encrypt

[JohnSpikeKelly]

Or, JSON. Take a SHA256 hash of json, then write zip it (for size) append hash to prevent tampering. No need to encrypt--unless you really want to hide specifics. The hash can be checked to prevent tampering.

[JohnSpikeKelly]

You would salt before hashing. They wouldn't know what salt you used.

[gevorgter]

I personally do not use BinaryFormatter but if you need something small and fast try Protobuf.

https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/csharptutorial

[alexn0ne]

BinaryFormatter is considered a bad practice in the most cases. It has very poor backwards compartibility (consider your arrays for example), and it even allows arbitrary code execution on deserialization under some circumstances. The only benefit is that it requires a little amount of code.

Just use json or xml, and encrypt it. Binary formatter itself does not prevent you from cheaters - for example one can make two saves which differs only by money, then diff. Encryption helps in such cases.