How to properly split string array using C#

Question

I have a simple php script that outputs an array of strings using the json_encode method at the backend. it outputs it like so:

["8090123","8090456","8090789","8090321","8090654"]

Now, I want to parse it in my C# code but I can't seem to parse it properly.

Below is my C# code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace ConsoleApplication5
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            using (WebClient wc = new WebClient())
            {
                string myString = wc.DownloadString("https://magforex.biz/list.php");
                string[] words = myString.Split(',');
                for (var i = 0; i < words.Length; i++)
                {
                    // i just hardcoded the index for now
                    Console.WriteLine(words[0]); 
                    break;
                }
                Console.ReadLine();
            }  
        }
    }
}

The code runs just fine but it outputs the following result ["8090123" which is not what I wanted.

Sorry as I am just starting out with C# and has limited knowledge about it.

All I want is just the string 8090123 so that I can do a comparison later.

Thanks for helping out in advance.

Use a JSON library like JSON.NET

Yacoub Massad
– Yacoub Massad

2016-02-28 13:47:36 +00:00
Commented Feb 28, 2016 at 13:47 — Yacoub Massad
– Yacoub Massad, Commented Feb 28, 2016 at 13:47
Use a JSON library, you don't want to parse it manually.

giannisf
– giannisf

2016-02-28 13:54:56 +00:00
Commented Feb 28, 2016 at 13:54 — giannisf
– giannisf, Commented Feb 28, 2016 at 13:54

Marius Schulz · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-28 13:48:09Z

5

Use a proper JSON-parsing library like Newtonsoft.Json to parse the JSON string into a statically typed class model:

string[] words = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<string[]>(myString);

answered Feb 28, 2016 at 13:48

Marius Schulz

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Comments

code4life · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-29 00:46:46Z

2

You're just missing one step:

string[] words = myString.Trim(new []{'[',']'}).Split(',');

Honestly, unless you're going to use JsonConvert for more complex object graphs, using a json deserializer is a bit of an overkill in this situation, IMHO.

EDIT: if you don't want the quotation marks, you could use a LINQ projection...

string[] words = myString.Trim(new []{'[',']'})
                     .Split(',')
                     .Select(s => s.Trim(new[]{'"'}).ToArray();

BTW, I'm highly familiar with Json.NET and have been a ServiceStack guy for ages. But I'm biasing towards the simpler solution because, well, Occam's Razor, right?

edited Feb 29, 2016 at 0:46

answered Feb 28, 2016 at 14:08

code4life

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5 Comments

anagnam Over a year ago

you might be right. its just a simple array that i want to parse so I thought by just using the split method will do the trick. but the json library as suggested worked for my immediate need. I 'm not sure if its the right one for my simple task.

code4life Over a year ago

You were just missing the Trim step to cleanse the data prior to splitting... ;-)

Brian Rogers Over a year ago

This method would still leave the quotes around the individual strings, so you would need a loop to strip those off too. Using a JSON parser is a better way to go.

code4life Over a year ago

Just trim out what you don't want.. I thought they wanted the quote marks, TBH...

Brian Rogers Over a year ago

You'd have to trim the quotes after splitting values, otherwise only the first and last quote in the full string would be removed. Something like string[] words = myString.Trim(new char[]{'[',']'}).Split(',').Select(s => s.Trim(new char[]{'"'})).ToArray();

Joren · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-28 13:47:33Z

1

Why not do the obvious thing and JSON-decode your JSON input data? Using Newtonsoft.Json:

JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<string[]>(myString)

answered Feb 28, 2016 at 13:47

Joren

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Comments

arie · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-28 14:14:03Z

1

If you don't want to use the Newtonsoft library you can use the JavaScriptSerializer to convert your string to array. Add using System.Web.Script.Serialization; and then:

string myString = wc.DownloadString("https://magforex.biz/list.php");
JavaScriptSerializer js = new JavaScriptSerializer();
string[] myArray = js.Deserialize<string[]>(myString);

answered Feb 28, 2016 at 14:14

arie

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Comments

MotKohn · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-28 13:51:03Z

0

you should change it to word[i] to start, then I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to do.

answered Feb 28, 2016 at 13:51

MotKohn

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3 Comments

anagnam Over a year ago

yes I know. I just hardcode the index for now so I can prove if I am parsing the correct index or not before I run the loop. thanks ;)

MotKohn Over a year ago

then you probably want words.Join()

anagnam Over a year ago

its ok. the json library as suggested by others worked! thanks anyway ;)

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