Parsing nested JSON--child properties are null

Question

So I am trying to parse some JSON that is returned to me by a third party api that looks something like:

{
    "status":"ok",
    "links":
    [
        {
            "link":
            {
                "link_name":"Sample",
                "link_id":"9999"
            }
        },

    ],//and so on with other nested properties

I have created classes to map the JSON to

    [DataContract]
    public class JsonTestResults
    {
        [DataMember]
        public string status { get; set; }
        [DataMember]
        public IEnumerable<Link> links { get; set; }
    }
    [DataContract]
    public class Link
    {
        [DataMember]
        public string link_name { get; set; }
        [DataMember]
        public string link_id { get; set; }
    }

And I'm pushing the response through this deserializer (taken from this post

public  T Deserialise<T>( string json )
        {
            T obj = Activator.CreateInstance<T>( );
            using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream( Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes( json ) ))
            {
                DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer( obj.GetType( ) );
                obj = (T)serializer.ReadObject( ms ); 
                return obj;
            }
        }

However, my deserialized results are showing the contents of Link[] as null. (there is a Link object for each one returned, but the link_name and link_id are null.)

I've checked out this, this, this, this and this, but haven't been able to solve this issue. I am looking for a solution that doesn't require a third party library. (per my lead dev).

I don't believe it's a problem with the classes matching the JSON, but I can post the full code if anyone would like to review it.

I'm pretty sure that the bug is where I'm looking. Look: stackoverflow.com/questions/12271356/… — lolol
– lolol, Commented Sep 6, 2012 at 16:44

L.B · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 16:46:50Z

3

You need one more class to deserialize it correctly

public class JsonTestResults
{
    public string status { get; set; }
    public IEnumerable<TempLink> links { get; set; }
}

public class TempLink
{
    public Link link;
}

public class Link
{
    public string link_name { get; set; }
    public string link_id { get; set; }
}

I tested it with Json.Net and worked.

var obj = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject <JsonTestResults>(json);

JavaScriptSerializer also works

var obj2 = new JavaScriptSerializer().Deserialize<JsonTestResults>(json);

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 16:46

L.B

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6 Comments

Forty-Two Over a year ago

lolol offered this solution earlier. Using this approach, the contents of links is still null, only now it is link = null rather than link_name and link_id = null.

L.B Over a year ago

@Forty-Two As I said I tested it before posting.

lolol Over a year ago

@Forty-Two I'm prety sure it's right too. Maybe there's something wrong with the DataContractJsonSerializer.

Forty-Two Over a year ago

You're right, (both of you). Apparently it was some problem with my Deserialize method that adding the additional class didn't change anything. However, as you said, it does indeed work with JavaScriptSerializer()

lolol Over a year ago

Nice @Forty-Two. Fell free to give it for L.B because he sustained his position with more tests than I did. Thank you and have a nice day.

|

EJGZ · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 16:37:17Z

-1

Its a syntax error in the JSON,

In a JSON Array the last element does not have a ',' after it.

 {
"status":"ok",
"links":
[
    {
        "link":
        {
            "link_name":"Sample",
            "link_id":"9999"
        }
    }
],

This will work !!

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 16:37

EJGZ

1

1 Comment

lolol Over a year ago

nah, you are wrong. he leaved the comma to show that there are more elements in the json.

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