Json.Net Serialization programmatically

Question

I have to serialize into json some informations and then write them to a file. Actually the result i want to achieve is this:

{
  "Email": "[email protected]",
  "Active": true,
  "CreatedDate": "2013-01-20T00:00:00Z",
  "libraries": [
    {
      "name": "name1"
    },
    {
      "name": "name2"
    }
  ]
}

this is the class i use to store info:

public class JSON
{
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public bool Active { get; set; }
    public DateTime CreatedDate { get; set; }
    public string[] libraries { get; set; }
}

and then i use this to serialize them:

JSON account = new JSON
{
    Email = "[email protected]",
    Active = true,
    CreatedDate = new DateTime(2013, 1, 20, 0, 0, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc),
    libraries = new[] {"Small","Medium","Large" }

};

string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(account, Formatting.Indented);

the problem is that actually the result i have is this:

{
  "Email": "[email protected]",
  "Active": true,
  "CreatedDate": "2013-01-20T00:00:00Z",
  "libraries": [
    "Small",
    "Medium",
    "Large"
  ]
}

how can i solve it?

Anton Sizikov · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-10 17:53:41Z

5

Change your JSON class to this one:

public class Library
{
    public string name { get; set; }
}

public class JSON
{
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public bool Active { get; set; }
    public string CreatedDate { get; set; }
    public List<Library> libraries { get; set; }
}

How to generate classes with online tool

The good hint is to use JSON to C# converter which will generate you C# classes.

How to generate classes with Visual Studio

Other option is to use built in Visual Studio feature (works in VS2013 and above).

If you have your JSON file in the clipboard you can go:

Edit->Paste Special->Paste JSON as Classes

How to use new class

JSON account = new JSON
{
    Email = "[email protected]",
    Active = true,
    CreatedDate = new DateTime(2013, 1, 20, 0, 0, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc),
    libraries = new List<Library>  
            {
              new Library {name = "Small"},
              new Library {name = "Medium"},
              new Library {name = "Large"} 
            }

};

edited Feb 10, 2016 at 17:53

answered Feb 10, 2016 at 13:57

Anton Sizikov

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3 Comments

giogiowefj Over a year ago

and what do i do with this? libraries = new[] {"Small","Medium","Large" }

giogiowefj Over a year ago

it works fine if i use public Library[] libraries { get; set; } instead of public List<Library> libraries { get; set; }. With that it give me a conversion error

Anton Sizikov Over a year ago

Yep, you're right. I updated the example one more time. You either use array or a List.

Denis · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-10 14:04:05Z

You can use custom converter:

public class ArrayItemAsObjectConverter : JsonConverter
{
    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
    {
        return objectType == typeof(string[]);
    }

    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        throw new NotImplementedException();
    }

    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        string[] items = (string[])value;

        writer.WriteStartArray();

        for (int i = 0; i < items.Length; i++)
        {
            writer.WriteStartObject();
            writer.WritePropertyName("name");
            writer.WriteValue(items[i]);
            writer.WriteEndObject();
        }

        writer.WriteEndArray();
    }
}
///

[JsonConverter(typeof(ArrayItemAsObjectConverter))]
public string[] libraries { get; set; }

user1108948 · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-10 14:04:53Z

0

Using Visual Studio, you can create the classes:

public class Rootobject
{
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public bool Active { get; set; }
    public DateTime CreatedDate { get; set; }
    public Library[] libraries { get; set; }
}

  public class Library
  {
      public string name { get; set; }
  }

You need copy the json string and paste special as json class. Go to the menu then click EDIT and you will find it.

And

using System.Web.Script.Serialization;

JavaScriptSerializer oJS = new JavaScriptSerializer();
RootObject oRootObject = new RootObject();
oRootObject = oJS.Deserialize<RootObject>(Your JSon String);

answered Feb 10, 2016 at 14:04

user1108948

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