c# - How to deserialize different xml-tags into a single list -

i have xml looks this

<root>     <bosses>         <boss>..some elements..</boss>         <boss>..some elements..</boss>     </bosses>     <workers>         <worker>..some elements..not same bosses</worker>         <worker>..some elements..</worker>     </workers> </root> 

and few classes this

public class person {     //properties common both bosses , workers }  public class boss : person {     //some properties unique bosses }  public class worker : person {     //some properties unique workers         } 

now, deserialize xml single list<person>, quite frankly stumped on how that.

i can separate lists bosses , workers doing

    [xmlelement("bosses")]     public list<boss> bosses { get; set; }      [xmlelement("workers")]     public list<worker> workers { get; set; } 

i've tried combining them naively doing this

    [xmlelement("bosses")]     [xmlelement("workers")]     public list<person> people { get; set; } 

but fails. if had take guess have tell dezerializer subclass of person use bosses , use workers, if case, cant seem find how done.

so, please enlighten me!

edit (solution): know, asking question triggered new thoughts , able figure out solution. i'll post here in case else comes looking similar issues:

    [xmlelement(elementname = "bosses", type = typeof(boss))]     [xmlelement(elementname = "workers", type = typeof(worker))]     public list<person> people { get; set; } 

solution:

[xmlelement(elementname = "bosses", type = typeof(boss))] [xmlelement(elementname = "workers", type = typeof(worker))] public list<person> people { get; set; }