inflate type from xml

gistfile1.cs

public T Inflate<T>() where T : class
{
	var attr = typeof(T)
		.GetCustomAttributes(true)
		.OfType<XmlRootAttribute>()
		.SingleOrDefault();

	string root;
	
	// Use ElementName if it's provided, otherwise use name of the type
	// because Linq to Xml will use this name to find the root node
	if (attr != null)
		root = attr.ElementName;
	else
		root = typeof(T).Name;

	XmlSerializer xml = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
	var doc = XDocument.Load(new XmlNodeReader(ResponseXml));
	var element = doc.Descendants(root).SingleOrDefault();

	T obj = null;
	using (var reader = element.CreateReader())
	{
		obj = (T)xml.Deserialize(reader);
	}

	// Some properties are ignored because they're just the Xml Content
	// Find those properties and set the content.
	SetXmlContentMembers<T>(element, obj);

	return obj;
}

private void SetXmlContentMembers<T>(XElement element, T obj) where T : class
{
	// Process the XmlContentAttribute properties
	var props = typeof(T).GetProperties()
					.Where(prop => prop.GetCustomAttributes(true).OfType<XmlContentAttribute>().Any());
	
	// just return if no XmlContent properties were found
	if (!props.Any()) return;

	// get a list of properties and their XmlContent attributes
	var propertiesAndNames = from prop in props
							 let attr = prop.GetCustomAttributes(true).OfType<XmlContentAttribute>().FirstOrDefault()
							 select new
							 {
								 Attribute = attr,
								 Property = prop
							 };

	foreach (var pair in propertiesAndNames)
	{
		string elementName = string.Empty;

		// Use the ElementName on the attribute, default to property name
		if (pair.Attribute != null && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(pair.Attribute.ElementName))
			elementName = pair.Attribute.ElementName;
		else
			elementName = pair.Property.Name;

		// use Linq to Xml to find the element by name
		var value = element.Descendants(elementName).FirstOrDefault();

		// if the element was found, set the contents!
		if (value != null)
		{
			pair.Property.SetValue(obj, value.ToString(), null);
		}
	}
}