AutoCAD .NET :: Trying To Write Layer Gather And Change Program In C#

I am trying to write a layer gathering and changing program that will store a lists of layers based on layers they need to be changed to. I am writing it in C# and the part that is killing me is I need to store the old layers before I convert them so that way in the future the program will automatically know to change those layers to the appropriate layer.

I am trying to use an .xml file to permanently store the layers, and a serializer to read the layers into a dictionary so that I can search and see if I have already come across a layer.

I know that sounds very convoluted so let me simplify the problem. We have our layers which are only 7 layers. We get drawings from outside sources and they have their layers. Their layers correspond to one our 7 layers. We have a list showing which of their layers correspond to one of our layers. When we get drawings with layers we've never seen before, we need to search through the list to confirm it isn't already there and if it is not present, then ask the user to which of our layers their new layer should be associated.

I want to store the data in a xml file in a manner similar to this <ourlayertheirlayer> ourlayer1, somerandomthintg ourlayer1, anotherrandomthing ourlayer1, thisrandomthing ourlayer2, whatisthis ourlayer2, whoisthis ourlayer3, whycantifigurethisout ourlayer3, canyoufigureitout</ourlayertheirlayer>

 Then I want to serialize the xml file and save the data in a Dictionary<string,string> type whre the first string is one of our layers and the second string is their layer.

I want the data in the xml file to persist between application sessions, but the dictionary would be filled each the program is started.Later in the program I will use the Dictionary to gather all the objects based on their layer, the second string in the dictionary, and convert them to our corresponding layer, the first string in the dictionary.

I am having trouble setting up my types in C# though. How do I create an xml serializer that will read ourlayer, theirlayer from an xml file and save it to a Dictionary. The data doesn't have to be in the xml file in that format either, I just can't think of an easier way than commas to sepearte the two pieces of data.

public class OursTheirs{ public List<string>[,] goToDict { get; set; }}public class oursTheirsComma{ public string commaPresent { get; set; }}public static class SerializeAddToDict{ public static string getFromXML(string xml) { XmlSerializer xmls = new XMLSerializer(typeof(string)); return xmls.Deserialize(new StringReader(xml)) as string; } public static List<string>[,] ParseXML { //Stuff here

I haven't figured out to convert the string to a //List<string>[,] where the first column is one of our 7 layers,second //column their layer } //Then some other stuff here to add the stuff to a dictionary}

 I just starting learning C# and .NET.