How to Binary serialize a MailMessage for use with MessageQueue

The MailMessage object is in itself not serializeable.
The MessageQueue needs a serializeable object in order to work so as is the MailMessage is no target for the MessageQueue.

This has bothered me for a long time but finally the right project arrived with the need of Queuing MailMessages.

Almost all examples on the internet describes how to XML serialize the MailMessage but most of the times only the simple types are serialized; like To, From, Subject and Body.
What about AlternateViews and Attachments? This has been left for your imagination.

I decided to start my own SerializeableMailMessage class that should be Binary seriablizeable. Its only hard work and 500 lines of code is the result of this effort.

There is no tricky stuff in it. It is only hard work figuring out how to serialize each object in the MailMessage object.

You use it by creating a new SerializeableMailMessage() feeding it with a MailMessage object. GetMailMessage() on the SeriablizeableMailMessage object gives you the MailMessage object back.

 using System;  
 using System.Collections.Generic;  
 using System.Text;  
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;  
 using System.Net;  
 using System.Net.Mail;  
 using System.IO;  
 using System.Net.Mime;  
 using System.Collections.Specialized;  
 namespace Netmester.Mail.Serialization  
 {  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableLinkedResource  
      {  
           String ContentId;  
           Uri ContentLink;  
           Stream ContentStream;  
           SerializeableContentType ContentType;  
           TransferEncoding TransferEncoding;  
           internal static SerializeableLinkedResource GetSerializeableLinkedResource(LinkedResource lr)  
           {  
                if (lr == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableLinkedResource slr = new SerializeableLinkedResource();  
                slr.ContentId = lr.ContentId;  
                slr.ContentLink = lr.ContentLink;  
                if (lr.ContentStream != null)  
                {  
                     byte[] bytes = new byte[lr.ContentStream.Length];  
         lr.ContentStream.Position = 0;  
                     lr.ContentStream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);  
                     slr.ContentStream = new MemoryStream(bytes);  
                }  
                slr.ContentType = SerializeableContentType.GetSerializeableContentType(lr.ContentType);  
                slr.TransferEncoding = lr.TransferEncoding;  
                return slr;  
           }  
           internal LinkedResource GetLinkedResource()  
           {  
                LinkedResource slr = new LinkedResource(ContentStream);  
                slr.ContentId = ContentId;  
                slr.ContentLink = ContentLink;  
                slr.ContentType = ContentType.GetContentType();  
                slr.TransferEncoding = TransferEncoding;  
                return slr;  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableAlternateView  
      {  
           Uri BaseUri;  
           String ContentId;  
           Stream ContentStream;  
           SerializeableContentType ContentType;  
           List<SerializeableLinkedResource> LinkedResources = new List<SerializeableLinkedResource>();  
           TransferEncoding TransferEncoding;  
           internal static SerializeableAlternateView GetSerializeableAlternateView(AlternateView av)  
           {  
                if (av == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableAlternateView sav = new SerializeableAlternateView();  
                sav.BaseUri = av.BaseUri;  
                sav.ContentId = av.ContentId;  
                if (av.ContentStream != null)  
                {  
                     byte[] bytes = new byte[av.ContentStream.Length];  
         // Reset read position  
         av.ContentStream.Position = 0;  
         av.ContentStream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);  
         sav.ContentStream = new MemoryStream(bytes);  
                }  
                sav.ContentType = SerializeableContentType.GetSerializeableContentType(av.ContentType);  
                foreach (LinkedResource lr in av.LinkedResources)  
                     sav.LinkedResources.Add(SerializeableLinkedResource.GetSerializeableLinkedResource(lr));  
                sav.TransferEncoding = av.TransferEncoding;  
                return sav;  
           }  
           internal AlternateView GetAlternateView()  
           {  
                AlternateView sav = new AlternateView(ContentStream);  
                sav.BaseUri = BaseUri;  
                sav.ContentId = ContentId;  
                sav.ContentType = ContentType.GetContentType();  
                foreach (SerializeableLinkedResource lr in LinkedResources)  
                     sav.LinkedResources.Add(lr.GetLinkedResource());  
                sav.TransferEncoding = TransferEncoding;  
                return sav;  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableMailAddress  
      {  
           String User;  
           String Host;  
           String Address;  
           String DisplayName;  
           internal static SerializeableMailAddress GetSerializeableMailAddress(MailAddress ma)  
           {  
                if (ma == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableMailAddress sma = new SerializeableMailAddress();  
                sma.User = ma.User;  
                sma.Host = ma.Host;  
                sma.Address = ma.Address;  
                sma.DisplayName = ma.DisplayName;  
                return sma;  
           }  
           internal MailAddress GetMailAddress()  
           {  
                return new MailAddress(Address, DisplayName);  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableContentDisposition  
      {  
           DateTime CreationDate;  
           String DispositionType;  
           String FileName;  
           Boolean Inline;  
           DateTime ModificationDate;  
           SerializeableCollection Parameters;  
           DateTime ReadDate;  
           long Size;  
           internal static SerializeableContentDisposition GetSerializeableContentDisposition(System.Net.Mime.ContentDisposition cd)  
           {  
                if (cd == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableContentDisposition scd = new SerializeableContentDisposition();  
                scd.CreationDate = cd.CreationDate;  
                scd.DispositionType = cd.DispositionType;  
                scd.FileName = cd.FileName;  
                scd.Inline = cd.Inline;  
                scd.ModificationDate = cd.ModificationDate;  
                scd.Parameters = SerializeableCollection.GetSerializeableCollection(cd.Parameters);  
                scd.ReadDate = cd.ReadDate;  
                scd.Size = cd.Size;  
                return scd;  
           }  
           internal void SetContentDisposition(ContentDisposition scd)  
           {  
                scd.CreationDate = CreationDate;  
                scd.DispositionType = DispositionType;  
                scd.FileName = FileName;  
                scd.Inline = Inline;  
                scd.ModificationDate = ModificationDate;  
                Parameters.SetColletion(scd.Parameters);  
                scd.ReadDate = ReadDate;  
                scd.Size = Size;  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableContentType  
      {  
           String Boundary;  
           String CharSet;  
           String MediaType;  
           String Name;  
           SerializeableCollection Parameters;  
           internal static SerializeableContentType GetSerializeableContentType(System.Net.Mime.ContentType ct)  
           {  
                if (ct == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableContentType sct = new SerializeableContentType();  
                sct.Boundary = ct.Boundary;  
                sct.CharSet = ct.CharSet;  
                sct.MediaType = ct.MediaType;  
                sct.Name = ct.Name;  
                sct.Parameters = SerializeableCollection.GetSerializeableCollection(ct.Parameters);  
                return sct;  
           }  
           internal ContentType GetContentType()  
           {  
                ContentType sct = new ContentType();  
                sct.Boundary = Boundary;  
                sct.CharSet = CharSet;  
                sct.MediaType = MediaType;  
                sct.Name = Name;  
                Parameters.SetColletion(sct.Parameters);  
                return sct;  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableAttachment  
      {  
           String ContentId;  
           SerializeableContentDisposition ContentDisposition;  
           SerializeableContentType ContentType;  
           Stream ContentStream;  
           System.Net.Mime.TransferEncoding TransferEncoding;  
           String Name;  
           Encoding NameEncoding;  
           internal static SerializeableAttachment GetSerializeableAttachment(Attachment att)  
           {  
                if (att == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableAttachment saa = new SerializeableAttachment();  
                saa.ContentId = att.ContentId;  
                saa.ContentDisposition = SerializeableContentDisposition.GetSerializeableContentDisposition(att.ContentDisposition);  
                if (att.ContentStream != null)  
                {  
                     byte[] bytes = new byte[att.ContentStream.Length];  
                  att.ContentStream.Position = 0;   
         att.ContentStream.Read(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);  
                     saa.ContentStream = new MemoryStream(bytes);  
                }  
                saa.ContentType = SerializeableContentType.GetSerializeableContentType(att.ContentType);  
                saa.Name = att.Name;  
                saa.TransferEncoding = att.TransferEncoding;  
                saa.NameEncoding = att.NameEncoding;  
                return saa;  
           }  
           internal Attachment GetAttachment()  
           {  
                Attachment saa = new Attachment(ContentStream, Name);  
                saa.ContentId = ContentId;  
                this.ContentDisposition.SetContentDisposition(saa.ContentDisposition);  
                saa.ContentType = ContentType.GetContentType();  
                saa.Name = Name;  
                saa.TransferEncoding = TransferEncoding;  
                saa.NameEncoding = NameEncoding;  
                return saa;  
           }  
      }  
      [Serializable]  
      internal class SerializeableCollection  
      {  
           Dictionary<String, String> Collection = new Dictionary<string, string>();  
           internal SerializeableCollection()  
           {  
           }  
           internal static SerializeableCollection GetSerializeableCollection(NameValueCollection col)  
           {  
                if (col == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableCollection scol = new SerializeableCollection();  
                foreach (String key in col.Keys)  
                     scol.Collection.Add(key, col[key]);  
                return scol;  
           }  
           internal static SerializeableCollection GetSerializeableCollection(StringDictionary col)  
           {  
                if (col == null)  
                     return null;  
                SerializeableCollection scol = new SerializeableCollection();  
                foreach (String key in col.Keys)  
                     scol.Collection.Add(key, col[key]);  
                return scol;  
           }  
           internal void SetColletion(NameValueCollection scol)  
           {  
                foreach (String key in Collection.Keys)  
                {  
                     scol.Add(key, this.Collection[key]);  
                }  
           }  
           internal void SetColletion(StringDictionary scol)  
           {  
                foreach (String key in Collection.Keys)  
                {  
                     if (scol.ContainsKey(key))  
                          scol[key] = Collection[key];  
                     else  
                          scol.Add(key, this.Collection[key]);  
                }  
           }  
      }  
      /// <summary>  
      /// Serializeable mailmessage object  
      /// </summary>  
      [Serializable]  
      public class SerializeableMailMessage  
      {  
           Boolean IsBodyHtml { get; set; }  
           String Body { get; set; }  
           SerializeableMailAddress From { get; set; }  
           List<SerializeableMailAddress> To = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
           List<SerializeableMailAddress> CC = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
           List<SerializeableMailAddress> Bcc = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
           SerializeableMailAddress ReplyTo { get; set; }  
           SerializeableMailAddress Sender { get; set; }  
           String Subject { get; set; }  
           List<SerializeableAttachment> Attachments = new List<SerializeableAttachment>();  
           Encoding BodyEncoding;  
           Encoding SubjectEncoding;  
           DeliveryNotificationOptions DeliveryNotificationOptions;  
           SerializeableCollection Headers;  
           MailPriority Priority;  
           List<SerializeableAlternateView> AlternateViews = new List<SerializeableAlternateView>();  
           /// <summary>  
           /// Creates a new serializeable mailmessage based on a MailMessage object  
           /// </summary>  
           /// <param name="mm"></param>  
           public SerializeableMailMessage(MailMessage mm)  
           {  
                IsBodyHtml = mm.IsBodyHtml;  
                Body = mm.Body;  
                Subject = mm.Subject;  
                From = SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(mm.From);  
                To = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
                foreach (MailAddress ma in mm.To)  
                {  
                     To.Add(SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(ma));  
                }  
                CC = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
                foreach (MailAddress ma in mm.CC)  
                {  
                     CC.Add(SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(ma));  
                }  
                Bcc = new List<SerializeableMailAddress>();  
                foreach (MailAddress ma in mm.Bcc)  
                {  
                     Bcc.Add(SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(ma));  
                }  
                Attachments = new List<SerializeableAttachment>();  
                foreach (Attachment att in mm.Attachments)  
                {  
                     Attachments.Add(SerializeableAttachment.GetSerializeableAttachment(att));  
                }  
                BodyEncoding = mm.BodyEncoding;  
                DeliveryNotificationOptions = mm.DeliveryNotificationOptions;  
                Headers = SerializeableCollection.GetSerializeableCollection(mm.Headers);  
                Priority = mm.Priority;  
                ReplyTo = SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(mm.ReplyTo);  
                Sender = SerializeableMailAddress.GetSerializeableMailAddress(mm.Sender);  
                SubjectEncoding = mm.SubjectEncoding;  
                foreach (AlternateView av in mm.AlternateViews)  
                     AlternateViews.Add(SerializeableAlternateView.GetSerializeableAlternateView(av));  
           }  
           /// <summary>  
           /// Returns the MailMessge object from the serializeable object  
           /// </summary>  
           /// <returns></returns>  
           public MailMessage GetMailMessage()  
           {  
                MailMessage mm = new MailMessage();  
                mm.IsBodyHtml = IsBodyHtml;  
                mm.Body = Body;  
                mm.Subject = Subject;  
                if( From != null )  
                     mm.From = From.GetMailAddress();  
                foreach (SerializeableMailAddress ma in To)  
                {  
                     mm.To.Add(ma.GetMailAddress());  
                }  
                foreach (SerializeableMailAddress ma in CC)  
                {  
                     mm.CC.Add(ma.GetMailAddress());  
                }  
                foreach (SerializeableMailAddress ma in Bcc)  
                {  
                     mm.Bcc.Add(ma.GetMailAddress());  
                }  
                foreach (SerializeableAttachment att in Attachments)  
                {  
                     mm.Attachments.Add(att.GetAttachment());  
                }  
                mm.BodyEncoding = BodyEncoding;  
                mm.DeliveryNotificationOptions = DeliveryNotificationOptions;  
                Headers.SetColletion(mm.Headers);  
                mm.Priority = Priority;  
                if (ReplyTo != null)  
                     mm.ReplyTo = ReplyTo.GetMailAddress();  
                if (Sender != null)  
                     mm.Sender = Sender.GetMailAddress();  
                mm.SubjectEncoding = SubjectEncoding;  
                foreach (SerializeableAlternateView av in AlternateViews)  
                     mm.AlternateViews.Add(av.GetAlternateView());  
                return mm;  
           }  
      }  
 }