C# Json.net Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: [

Question

public class JSON_Browse_Root
{
    public string browse_content { get; set; }
    public List<JSON_Browse_Content> Content { get; set; }
}

public class JSON_Browse_Content
{
    public string link { get; set; }
    public string image { get; set; }
    public string title { get; set; }
    public string description { get; set; }
    public string rating { get; set; }
    public string genre { get; set; }
}

using (var client = new HttpClient())
{
    using (HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("https://myjsonurl.com"))
    using (HttpContent responseData = response.Content)
    {
        var jsonData = await responseData.ReadAsStringAsync();
        var root = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<JSON_Browse_Root>(jsonData);
    }

}

JSON:

{
    "browse_content": [
        {
            "link": "https:\/\/blah",
            "image": "https:\/\/blahblah.blah.gif",
            "title": "Mr. Southern Hospitality",
            "description": "He got old money",
            "rating": "e",
            "author": "",
            "genre": "Comedy - Original"
        },
        {
            "link": "https:\/\/blah",
            "image": "https:\/\/blahblah.blah.png",
            "title": "Throwverwatch",
            "description": "Based on the competitive overwatch experience",
            "rating": "t",
            "author": "",
            "genre": "Comedy - Parody"
        }

An exception of type 'Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReaderException' occurred in System.Private.CoreLib.ni.dll but was not handled in user code Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: [

I used this JSON for iOS and Android apps and it's worked perfectly. Also, jsonlint.com says the JSON is valid. Not sure why it's erroring out on the [ character.

This has a ] } missing. What do you mean by jsonLint says it's okay? What have you tested there? — Daniel Manta
– Daniel Manta, Commented Feb 12, 2018 at 23:21
jsonlint.com tells me Parse error on line 18. Wonder how you got it to say it was valid — abney317
– abney317, Commented Feb 12, 2018 at 23:24
This is almost certainly just a copy/paste error when writing the question. The error message posted doesn't match the bad JSON data shown. My answer tells you why it's not working. — DavidG
– DavidG, Commented Feb 12, 2018 at 23:42

DavidG · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-13 08:28:02Z

3

Assuming your JSON is missing the ending due to a copy/paste error, the actual problem you have is that your model class is wrong. You have a string property called browse_content and the deserialiser is trying to feed the array (i.e. the [...]) part of the JSON into it, hence you get the error about the unexpected character [. So the simple fix is to update your model to this:

public class JSON_Browse_Root
{
    public List<JSON_Browse_Content> browse_content { get; set; }
}

edited Feb 13, 2018 at 8:28

answered Feb 12, 2018 at 23:41

DavidG

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