How do I parse this JSON (using JSON.NET)?

Question

I have some JSON which is valid but a little quirky looking. Here it is:

{
"server":"some server name",
"files":
{
"filename1":{"source":"original","format":"text"},
"filename2":{"source":"original","format":"text"},
"filename3":{"source":"original","format":"text"}
}
}

As you can see, the "files" section contains one JSON object per "file" so I can get this as array of JTokens but not sure how to get the values of "filename1", "filename2", etc. out.

I'm using JSON.NET and C# so please don't provide an answer that requires the JavaScriptSerializer from System.Web.Extensions.dll. Either pure JObject/JToken calls or JConvert.DeserializeObject<> would be okay.

Thanks.

Yes it's a format coming from the server and can't be changed. — Bil Simser
– Bil Simser, Commented Feb 5, 2013 at 19:56
Why don't you combine the attributes to {server:"name", files :{filename:, "file1",format:" text", source:"original"}}} — user437329
– user437329, Commented Feb 5, 2013 at 20:03
@lafama If I could change the JSON I would but that's not the problem. The problem is given this JSON output how would I get the filename values? — Bil Simser
– Bil Simser, Commented Feb 5, 2013 at 20:06

user437329 · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 20:22:07Z

2

Try this

public class Data
{
    public Data()
    {
        Files = new Dictionary<string, FileData>();
    }
    public string Server { get; set; }
    public IDictionary<string, FileData> Files { get; set; } 
}
public class FileData
{
    public string Source { get; set; }
    public string Format { get; set; }
}

Then Access it using this

var result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Data>(JsonValue);

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 20:22

user437329

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1 Comment

meklarian Over a year ago

should note that the values the OP wants will be enumerable from result.Files.Keys

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:32:00Z

2

How about using dynamic deserialization? See Deserialize json object into dynamic object using Json.net

string json = @"{""server"":""some server name"",""files"":{""filename1"":{""source"":""original"",""format"":""text""},""filename2"":{""source"":""original"",""format"":""text""},""filename3"":{""source"":""original"",""format"":""text""}}}";
dynamic result = JObject.Parse(json);

Console.WriteLine(result.server);
foreach (dynamic file in result.files)
{
    Console.WriteLine(file.Name);
    dynamic value = file.Value;
    Console.WriteLine(value.source);
    Console.WriteLine(value.format);
}

Output

some server name
filename1
original
text
filename2
original
text
filename3
original
text

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:32

CommunityBot

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answered Feb 5, 2013 at 20:28

wollnyst

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Comments

sadegh saati · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 20:10:53Z

1

You must define a class like this:

class ClassName
{
    public string server;
    public ClassName2 files;
}

and define ClassName2:

class ClassName2
{
    ClassName3 filename1;
    ClassName3 filename2;
    ClassName3 filename3;
}

and finally ClassName3

ClassName3
{
    public string source;
    public string format;
}

supporse you have saved your json data in a string variable like 'result'

 ClassName fin = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ClassName>(result);

this will give you anything you need.

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 20:10

sadegh saati

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3 Comments

Bil Simser Over a year ago

This is good and would work however one catch. The filename is different in the dataset. So while this works in the snippet I posted, it doesn't work when there's "filename10" or "filename_123.zip". The names are dynamic and determined at runtime and will be different with each call so need something that can handle that.

sadegh saati Over a year ago

if your filenames are dynamic it is better to define them as array.

Bil Simser Over a year ago

Agreed, just looking how to do that (although I'm working through the answer @lafama proposed below and it looks like it will work)

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