Serialize class name in Json.Net

Question

I have the following C# code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
using Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization;

public class Program
{
    private static readonly JsonSerializerSettings prettyJson = new JsonSerializerSettings()
    {
        ContractResolver = new CamelCasePropertyNamesContractResolver(),
        Formatting = Formatting.Indented
    };
    public class dialup {
        public Dictionary<string,uint> speeds;
        public string phonenumber;
    }
    public class Ethernet {
        public string speed;
    }
    public class ipv4 {
        public bool somecapability;
    }

    public class SiteData {
        public string SiteName;

        [JsonExtensionData]
        public Dictionary<string, object> ConnectionTypes;
    }
    public static void Main() 
    {   
        var data = new SiteData()
        {
            SiteName = "Foo",
            ConnectionTypes = new Dictionary<string, object>() 
            {
                { "1",  new dialup() { speeds=new Dictionary<string,uint>() {{"1",9600},{"2",115200}}, phonenumber = "0118 999 881 999 119 725 ... 3" } },
                { "2",  new Ethernet() { speed = "1000" } },
                {"3", new ipv4() { somecapability=true}}
            }
        };
        var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(data, prettyJson);   
        Console.WriteLine(json);
    }
}

This results in the following JSON:

{
  "siteName": "Foo",
  "1": {
    "speeds": {
      "1": 9600,
      "2": 115200
    },
    "phonenumber": "0118 999 881 999 119 725 ... 3"
  },
  "2": {
    "speed": "1000"
  },
  "3": {
    "somecapability": true
  }
}

What I need in the JSON is:

{
  "siteName": "Foo",
  "1": {
    "dialup":{
    "speeds": {
      "1": 9600,
      "2": 115200
    },
    "phonenumber": "0118 999 881 999 119 725 ... 3"
    }
  },
  "2": {
    "Ethernet":{
    "speed": "1000"
    }
  },
  "3": {
    "ipv4":{
    "somecapability": true
    }
  }
}

How can I do this using Json.NET? Json.NET deserializes this just fine, but I've been looking for days on how to make it serialize it the same way.

You need to add a property to store the type/name. Classes serialize to { } whereas properties (e.g speed) get the name serialized — Ňɏssa Pøngjǣrdenlarp
– Ňɏssa Pøngjǣrdenlarp, Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 23:08
But wouldn't that result in that property name being in the Json as well? Or do I use JsonProperty for that? I'm having a hard time visualizing how I'd accomplish this in code. — cigarman
– cigarman, Commented Jun 17, 2016 at 0:14

Brian Rogers · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-17 01:00:36Z

5

To accomplish this, you need to wrap each of the values in your ConnectionTypes dictionary in another dictionary. You can create a helper method to make this easier:

private static Dictionary<string, object> WrapInDictionary(object value) 
{
    return new Dictionary<string, object>()
    {
        { value.GetType().Name, value }
    };
}

Then you can initialize your data like this:

var data = new SiteData()
{
    SiteName = "Foo",
    ConnectionTypes = new Dictionary<string, object>() 
    {
        { "1", WrapInDictionary( new dialup() { Speeds = new Dictionary<string, uint>() { {"1", 9600}, {"2", 115200} }, PhoneNumber = "0118 999 881 999 119 725 ... 3" } ) },
        { "2", WrapInDictionary( new Ethernet() { Speed = "1000" } ) },
        { "3", WrapInDictionary( new ipv4() { SomeCapability=true } ) }
    }
};

Fiddle: https://dotnetfiddle.net/gGXlDo

answered Jun 17, 2016 at 1:00

Brian Rogers

130k31 gold badges315 silver badges315 bronze badges

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

2 Comments

cigarman Over a year ago

Thank you! If I could up vote this 1,000 times I would. Works great.

Brian Rogers Over a year ago

No problem; glad I could help.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Serialize class name in Json.Net

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related