Post Request with a JSON array - not able to send in proper format

Question

I have the following JSON that I need to post to an API:

{
  "arch": {
    "id": “TrackingCode”
  },
  "nails": [{
    "name": "John"
  }],

  "token": 'RandomCode'
}

So I define the data this way:

public class arch
{
    [JsonProperty("id")]
    public string id { get; set; }
}

public class nails
{
    [JsonProperty("name")]
    public string[] name { get; set; }
}

public class Parameter
{
    [JsonProperty("arch")]
    public arch arch { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("nails")]
    public nails nails{ get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("token")]
    public string token { get; set; }
}

This is how I init the JSON before serializing it:

Parameter json = new Parameter
{
    arch = new arch
    {
        id = TrackingId
    },

    nails = new nails
    {
       name = "John"
    }

   token = "randomstuff"
};

But there is a syntax/formatting error involving the "name" field that won't allow compilation. It's obviously the array structure of that element. What am I doing wrong syntax wise?

nails isn't an array, it is an object in your definition. You could try defining nails as a nails[] instead, and then filling it as such. — Christoph Herold
– Christoph Herold, Commented Mar 5, 2019 at 21:40

marc_s · Accepted Answer · 2021-09-16 12:10:28Z

2

In your parameter object change nails nails to either nails[] or IEnumerable<nail> nails. The reason your json isn't coming out as you'd like is because nails is an object so a singular entity vs an array being multiple entities as you intended

edited Sep 16, 2021 at 12:10

marc_s

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answered Mar 5, 2019 at 21:43

Jlalonde

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Comments

Ben · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-05 21:47:43Z

As far as the code you've supplied, the compile error is because you've defined name as a string array, but then you're trying to assign a string to it. Change to a string array and it will compile fine:

        Parameter json = new Parameter
        {
            arch = new arch
            {
                id = "1"
            },

            nails = new nails
            {
                name = new string[]{"John"}
            },

            token = "randomstuff"
        };

That said, this wouldn't meet your original requirement, which was that nails should be an array, not name within nails. So you need something more like:

public class arch
{
    public string id { get; set; }
}

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

public class Parameter
{
    public arch arch { get; set; }

    public nails[] nails { get; set; }

    public string token { get; set; }
}

...

        Parameter json = new Parameter
        {
            arch = new arch
            {
                id = "1"
            },

            nails = new nails[]
            {
                new nails(){name = "John"}
            },

            token = "randomstuff"
        };

ALFA · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-05 22:02:49Z

0

I recommend you to use http://json2csharp.com/, this could be useful to generate the class objects for your JSON.

Using that tool you have:

public class Arch
{
    public string id { get; set; }
}

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

public class Parameter
{
    public Arch arch { get; set; }
    public List<Nail> nails { get; set; }
    public string token { get; set; }
}

As you can see name should not be an array. Instead nails is (Array or list).

EDIT:

To initialize your Parameter instance you can do this way:

Parameter json = new Parameter
{
    arch = new Arch
    {
        id = TrackingId
    },

    nails = new List<Nail>
    {
       new Nail { name = "John" }
    },

   token = "randomstuff"
};

edited Mar 5, 2019 at 22:02

answered Mar 5, 2019 at 21:49

ALFA

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1 Comment

John Over a year ago

That looks good! So how should that nails list be populated within the Parameter init?

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