Serializing inherited types in ASP.NET Web API

Question

I have a problem when serializing inherited objects in Web API.

[DataContract] 
public class Item{
     [DataMember]
     public int ID{get; set;}
     [DataMember]
     public string Name{get; set;} }

[DataContract] 
public class SitecoreItem : Item{
     [DataMember]     
     public DbType SitecoreInstance{get; set;} }

I am trying to return the above mentioned SitecoreItem from WebAPI, but it screams serialization errors. What am I doing wrong?

Filip W · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-12 12:20:02Z

4

This is no different than serialization in WCF. Just use KnownType

[DataContract] 
[KnownType(typeof(SitecoreItem))]
public class Item{
     [DataMember]
     public int ID{get; set;}
     [DataMember]
     public string Name{get; set;} }

[DataContract] 
public class SitecoreItem : Item{
     [DataMember]     
     public DbType SitecoreInstance{get; set;} 
}

answered Jun 12, 2012 at 12:20

Filip W

27.2k6 gold badges97 silver badges82 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Triet Doan Over a year ago

What if we don't have access to the code of Item? For example, Item is in a third-party library. How could we put KnownType above it?

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Serializing inherited types in ASP.NET Web API

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related