Trouble getting at values in JSON with json.net in c#

Question

I am trying to use an RESTFUL API for an application we use internally. One call to the API returns the following JSON:

{
    "operation": {
        "name": "GET RESOURCES",
        "result": {
            "status": "Success",
            "message": "Query was successful"
        },
        "totalRows": 2,
        "Details": [{
            "RESOURCE DESCRIPTION": "Windows",
            "RESOURCE TYPE": "Windows",
            "RESOURCE ID": "101",
            "RESOURCE NAME": "WINDOWSPC",
            "NOOFACCOUNTS": "1"
        }, {
            "RESOURCE DESCRIPTION": "Ubuntu",
            "RESOURCE TYPE": "Linux",
            "RESOURCE ID": "808",
            "RESOURCE NAME": "UBUNTUPC",
            "NOOFACCOUNTS": "2"
        }]
    }
}

Using json.net I deseralize the json and check the stats with the following lines:

dynamic json = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(response);
var status = json.operation.result.status.Value;

Next I want to get each value of each of the "Details" returned, but I cannot figure out how. I first tried getting the Details only with this:

var resourceList = json.operation.Details

Which works, but I cannot iterate over this to get just the "RESOURCE ID" and "RESOURCE NAME" for example.

I cannot use .Children() either, but when I hover over the resourceList there is a ChildrenTokens which seems to be what I want, but I cannot get at that in my code.

I also tried using resourceList as a DataSet as per their example but it throws an exception.

Can someone see what I am doing wrong..... I am not familiar with parsing JSON in C#

Copy your JSON string then use Paste Special ( Edit -> Paste Special -> Paste JSON as Classes), it will generate all necessary classes for you. — SᴇM
– SᴇM, Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 12:54
@SᴇM that sounds like something I could use.... but in my VS2019 Community, I don't have that option... — neildeadman
– neildeadman, Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 12:56
@neildeadman you do, it's available in all editions. In a C# file, go to the Edit menu and open the Paste Special submenu. The option doesn't appear in other text files — Panagiotis Kanavos
– Panagiotis Kanavos, Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 12:58
once you have the class define you can simply use the DeserializeObject<T> with T your class. newtonsoft.com/json/help/html/DeserializeObject.htm — Drag and Drop
– Drag and Drop, Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 13:00
Does this answer your question? Deserialize JSON into Object C# — Drag and Drop
– Drag and Drop, Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 13:00

Pavel Anikhouski · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-12 11:26:00Z

2

You can use Json.Linq for that and parse a response into JObject, then iterate it foreach loop. It's possible, since Details is an array and JObject implements IDictionary<string, JToken> and IEnumerable<KeyValuePair<string, JToken>>

var jObject = JObject.Parse(response);

foreach (var detail in jObject["operation"]["Details"])
{
    var description = detail["RESOURCE DESCRIPTION"].Value<string>();
    //other properties
}

edited Mar 12, 2020 at 11:26

answered Feb 10, 2020 at 13:07

Pavel Anikhouski

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Comments

Innat3 · Accepted Answer · 2020-02-10 13:02:59Z

1

Here's an example using the JObject class instead of dynamic

JObject json = JObject.Parse(response);

string status = json["operation"]["result"]["status"].Value<string>();

foreach (JToken resource in json["operation"]["Details"])
{
    string id = resource["RESOURCE ID"].Value<string>();
    string name = resource["RESOURCE NAME"].Value<string>();
}

answered Feb 10, 2020 at 13:02

Innat3

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Comments

Rahul Sharma · Accepted Answer · 2020-02-10 13:10:15Z

1

It is as simple as this:

Your Model classes would look like:

public class Result
{
    public string status { get; set; }
    public string message { get; set; }
}

public class Detail
{
    [JsonProperty("RESOURCE DESCRIPTION")]
    public string ResourceDescription { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("RESOURCE TYPE")]
    public string ResourceType { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("RESOURCE ID")]
    public string ResourceId { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("RESOURCE NAME")]
    public string ResourceName { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("NOOFACCOUNTS")]
    public string NoOfAccounts { get; set; }
}

public class Operation
{
    public string name { get; set; }
    public Result result { get; set; }
    public int totalRows { get; set; }
    public List<Detail> Details { get; set; }
}

public class RootObject
{
    public Operation operation { get; set; }
}

To de-serialize:

var json = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<RootObject>(response);

To access a property:

var name=json.operation.name

To access your Details:

foreach(var item in json.operation.Details)
{
var myresourcename=item.ResourceName;
//So on
}

answered Feb 10, 2020 at 13:10

Rahul Sharma

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9 Comments

neildeadman Over a year ago

Thanks, the other answers are shorter, but I am going to look into this more.

Rahul Sharma Over a year ago

@neildeadman If you want a concrete implementation of your JSON into associated Model structure, then go ahead with this.

display-name Over a year ago

I would use this approach as well, since you don't have to mess around with strings (less errors, IntelliSense support, etc.).

neildeadman Over a year ago

So another API call returns a different JSON that also has Operation, but is missing the TotalRows field. Am I best to implement a different class for each or can I implement multiple classes that are similar etc.

Rahul Sharma Over a year ago

Yes, you can use this class for the other API response. Basically, you can define a Model structure for your base API response and use inheritance concept for your inner responses.

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