Talkin' bout ESP structure

gistfile1.cs

class Record : IEnumerable<Record> {
  public byte[] ID;
  public uint Size;
  
  private List<Record> _children = new List();
  
  public Record(some data source) {
    ID = read ID;
    Size = read Size;
    _children = read children;
  }
}

class SomeTypeOfRecord : Record {
  public object SomeTypeOfRecordSpecificData;
  
  public SomeTypeOfRecord(some data source) : base(some data source) {
    //the call to base has already executed, so now we have ID, Size, and _children set
    //you can set SomeTypeOfRecordSpecificData either by serializing it yourself:
    //e.g., a bunch of Read() and Write() calls from a data source
    SomeTypeOfRecordSpecificData = new ExampleDataCustom(some data source, "idk");
    //or by setting up a data class with decorators to make a data contract
    SomeTypeOfRecordSpecificData = SomeContractSerializer.Deserialize<ExampleDataContract>(some data source);
  }
  
  //see? now we apply that same principle to record:
  //either decorate it with a contract, or put in a ctor + Write()
  //to handle custom serialization
}

[SomeContractType]
class ExampleDataContract {
  [SomeSerializeAttribute]
  public uint SomeMember;
  [SomeIgnoreAttribute]
  public string SomeOtherJunk;
}

class ExampleDataCustom {
  public uint SomeMember;
  public string SomeOtherJunk;
  
  public ExampleDataCustom(some data source, string otherJunk) {
    SomeMember = (some data source).ReadUint();
    SomeOtherJunk = otherJunk;
  }
  
  public void Write(some data source) {
    (some data source).WriteUint(SomeMember);
  }
}