JavaScriptSerializer deserialize to .NET string[] from JavaScript string or array

Question

Is there a way with the JavaScriptSerializer (I don't want to use another library at this time) where I can do something like this?

class Model 
{
    string[] Values { get; set; }
}

// using the serializer

JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();

// this works
Model workingModel = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : ['1234', '2346'] }");

// this works
Model wontWorkModel = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : 'test' }");

I want wontWorkModel.Values to be an array with 1 item - test.

Is this possible with the JSON I've specified?

Edit

I was able to hack this in using a TypeConverter and inserting it into the type of string[], but it seems very hackish (and scary that I can do that in .NET).

i have exactly this problem, and am going off in search of this TypeConverter, feels like exactly the right solution ;) it's not as if your able to do this to all of .net only your little universe ~ but a code sample would be lovely of course :D — John C Scott
– John C Scott, Commented Feb 26, 2013 at 20:14

Icarus · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-16 21:15:39Z

One option would be to create a JavascriptConverter as so:

public class ModelConverter   : JavaScriptConverter
    {
        public override object Deserialize(IDictionary<string, object> dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
        {
            if (dictionary == null)
                throw new ArgumentNullException("dictionary");

            if (type == typeof(Model))
            {
                Model result = new Model();
                foreach (var item in dictionary.Keys)
                {
                    if (dictionary[item] is string && item == "Values")
                        result.Values = new string[] { (string)dictionary[item] };
                    else if(item=="Values")
                        result.Values = (string[])((ArrayList)dictionary[item]).ToArray(typeof(string));

                }
                return result;
            }
            return null;
        }

        public override IDictionary<string, object> Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        public override IEnumerable<Type> SupportedTypes
        {
            get { return new ReadOnlyCollection<Type>(new List<Type>(new Type[] { typeof(Model) })); }
        }
    }

You can call it like this:

JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();

ModelConverter sc = new ModelConverter();
serializer.RegisterConverters(new JavaScriptConverter[] { new ModelConverter() });


Model workingModel = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : '2346' }");
Model workingModel1 = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : ['2346'] }");
Model workingModel2 = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : ['2346','3123'] }");

Here's the MSDN documentation for JavascriptConverter

Raphael Isidro · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-16 20:20:26Z

0

Why not simply use

Model wontWorkModel = serializer.Deserialize<Model>("{ Values : ['test'] }");

answered Nov 16, 2011 at 20:20

Raphael Isidro

93210 silver badges19 bronze badges

2 Comments

Daniel A. White Over a year ago

I'm not guaranteed that its an array or not. Some JavaScript frameworks are smart and promote it to an array automagically.

Raphael Isidro Over a year ago

mm the Model has an array so you must deserialize to another Object, What I would do is to search for a '[' if it has it, deserialize to ModelWithArray, if not to ModelWithString, I know is not what you're looking for but I think there's no way to deserialize to an anonymous object or something like that

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

JavaScriptSerializer deserialize to .NET string[] from JavaScript string or array

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related