Powershell ConvertTo-JSON missing nested level

Question

It looks like Powershell cuts off data when exporting to JSON if it nests too deep. My object hierchy looks like this:

Main Object
    Metadata
    More Metadata
    Collection of Other object Sources
        Collection of data used by these sources

For some reason, when I convert to JSON, powershell exports the Third level (Collection of data used by these sources) as an empty string, even though it is an array of objects with various NoteProperties added to them. For example:

$test = New-Object -TypeName PSObject

$obj = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
$obj | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "Name" -Value "adsf"

$test2 = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
$test2 | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "ArrayTest" -Value @($obj, $obj)

$test3 = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
$test3 | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "ArrayTest" -Value @($obj, $obj, $obj)

$test | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "CollectionTest" -Value @($test2, $test3)

This results in the following JSON String:

PS C:\Users\user\projects\Powershell> $test | ConvertTo-Json
{
    "CollectionTest":  [
                           {
                               "ArrayTest":  " "
                           },
                           {
                               "ArrayTest":  "  "
                           }
                       ]
}

Converting to XML results in a similar situation:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Objects>
  <Object Type="System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject">
    <Property Name="CollectionTest" Type="System.Object[]">
      <Property Type="System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject">
        <Property Type="System.String">@{ArrayTest=System.Object[]}</Property>
        <Property Name="ArrayTest" Type="System.Management.Automation.PSNoteProperty">System.Object[]</Property>
      </Property>
      <Property Type="System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject">
        <Property Type="System.String">@{ArrayTest=System.Object[]}</Property>
        <Property Name="ArrayTest" Type="System.Management.Automation.PSNoteProperty">System.Object[]</Property>
      </Property>
    </Property>
  </Object>
</Objects>

Is there some sort of object nesting limitation in powershell?

Linda Lawton - DaImTo · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-29 12:56:51Z

54

From Get-Help ConvertTo-JSON:

-Depth <Int32>
Specifies how many levels of contained objects are included in the JSON representation. The default value is 2.

Set your -Depth parameter whatever depth you need to preserve your data.

edited Mar 29, 2017 at 12:56

Linda Lawton - DaImTo

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answered Mar 7, 2014 at 21:02

mjolinor

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7 Comments

nlowe Over a year ago

Duh, thanks! Not sure how I missed that in the help!

Jodi Over a year ago

Maybe you missed it because it's an odd parameter.

Ro Yo Mi Over a year ago

Perfect example of the principle of least astonishment.

NoBrassRing Over a year ago

It seems like a completely unnecessary parameter! Can you imagine, say, a "C" compiler that generates bad code if your block nesting exceeds 2 levels?

orion elenzil Over a year ago

what the actual eff.

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