How do I deserialize a complex JSON object in C# .NET?

Question

I have a JSON string and I need some help to deserialize it.

Nothing worked for me... This is the JSON:

{
    "response": [{
        "loopa": "81ED1A646S894309CA1746FD6B57E5BB46EC18D1FAff",
        "drupa": "D4492C3CCE7D6F839B2BASD2F08577F89A27B4ff",
        "images": [{
                "report": {
                    "nemo": "unknown"
                },
                "status": "rock",
                "id": "7e6ffe36e-8789e-4c235-87044-56378f08m30df",
                "market": 1
            },
            {
                "report": {
                    "nemo": "unknown"
                },
                "status": "rock",
                "id": "e50e99df3-59563-45673-afj79e-e3f47504sb55e2",
                "market": 1
            }
        ]
    }]
}

I have an example of the classes, but I don't have to use those classes. I don't mind using some other classes.

These are the classes:

public class Report
{
    public string nemo { get; set; }
}

public class Image
{
    public Report report { get; set; }
    public string status { get; set; }
    public string id { get; set; }
    public int market { get; set; }
}

public class Response
{
    public string loopa { get; set; }
    public string drupa{ get; set; }
    public Image[] images { get; set; }
}

public class RootObject
{
    public Response[] response { get; set; }
}

I want to mention that I have Newtonsoft.Json already, so I can use some functions from there.

How can I do this?

Is there any exception being thrown? What is the error message? Could you please post the deserialization code? — Rui Jarimba, May 02 '13 at 13:25
there is no exeption i am just not getting any data. and getting this in the quick view :The name 'does not exist in the current context — Assaf Zigdon, May 02 '13 at 13:35
Look at the answers and check the right one to close this question. — filipko, May 05 '13 at 14:20

score 48 · Accepted Answer · answered May 02 '13 at 15:44

48

I am using like this in my code and it's working fine

below is a piece of code which you need to write

using System.Web.Script.Serialization;

JavaScriptSerializer oJS = new JavaScriptSerializer();
RootObject oRootObject = new RootObject();
oRootObject = oJS.Deserialize<RootObject>(Your JSon String);

answered May 02 '13 at 15:44

Javal Patel

838
7
12

4

FYI: this is in System.Web.Extensions.dll – jmbmage Feb 12 '16 at 20:55
1

Where can I find the RootObject class??! – Mich Oct 16 '18 at 00:30
@Mich, RootObject class was provided as part of the model classes at the end of the code of the question. – AntonioR Jan 21 '20 at 13:12
@Javal Patel - Powerful stuff! The "auto-name" mapping saves writing a lot of mapping code. Thank you for sharing! – Spencer Sullivan Apr 30 '20 at 01:01

score 45 · Answer 2 · answered May 02 '13 at 13:26

45

Should just be this:

var jobject = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<RootObject>(jsonstring);

You can paste the json string to here: http://json2csharp.com/ to check your classes are correct.

answered May 02 '13 at 13:26

stevepkr84

1,637
2
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i tried this, but i am only getting "The name 'does not exist in the current context" when entering to the quick view – Assaf Zigdon May 02 '13 at 13:37
Did you try classes as per the website I linked? I see they are different in that they use List rather than arrays in the RootObject and Response classes. Not sure if it would make a difference. – stevepkr84 May 02 '13 at 13:41
yes, i changed it for a test, but the original was from this site – Assaf Zigdon May 02 '13 at 13:52

score 21 · Answer 3 · answered May 02 '13 at 13:31

21

If you use C# 2010 or newer, you can use dynamic type:

dynamic json = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(jsonstring);

Then you can access attributes and arrays in dynamic object using dot notation:

string nemo = json.response[0].images[0].report.nemo;

answered May 02 '13 at 13:31

filipko

955
5
16

Could have been a good idea, but not working for me: **One or more types required to compile a dynamic expression cannot be found. Are you missing a reference** – Allen Linatoc Jul 06 '15 at 13:11

score 9 · Answer 4 · edited Oct 25 '18 at 13:54

9

First install newtonsoft.json package to Visual Studio using NuGet Package Manager then add the following code:

ClassName ObjectName = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject < ClassName > (jsonObject);

edited Oct 25 '18 at 13:54

Dmitry Pavlov

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answered Jul 13 '16 at 10:56

Tejas Jain

162
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8

But will that handle the irregular types in this particular JSON (in the question). Have you actually tried to run it? – Peter Mortensen Apr 18 '19 at 21:46

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 20 '15 at 08:38

4

I had a scenario, and this one helped me

JObject objParserd = JObject.Parse(jsonString);

JObject arrayObject1 = (JObject)objParserd["d"];

D myOutput= JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<D>(arrayObject1.ToString());

answered Aug 20 '15 at 08:38

Ozesh

6,536
1
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score 4 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 31 '16 at 22:40

shareInfo is Class:

public class ShareInfo
        {
            [JsonIgnore]
            public readonly DateTime Timestamp = DateTime.Now;
            [JsonProperty("sharename")]
            public string ShareName = null;
            [JsonProperty("readystate")]
            public string ReadyState = null;
            [JsonProperty("created")]
            [JsonConverter(typeof(Newtonsoft.Json.Converters.UnixDateTimeConverter))]
            public DateTime? CreatedUtc = null;
            [JsonProperty("title")]
            public string Title = null;
            [JsonProperty("getturl")]
            public string GettUrl = null;
            [JsonProperty("userid")]
            public string UserId = null;
            [JsonProperty("fullname")]
            public string Fullname = null;
            [JsonProperty("files")]
            public GettFile.FileInfo[] Files = new GettFile.FileInfo[0];
        }

// POST request.
            var gett = new WebClient { Encoding = Encoding.UTF8 };
            gett.Headers.Add("Content-Type", "application/json");
            byte[] request = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(jsonArgument.ToString());
            byte[] response = gett.UploadData(baseUri.Uri, request);

            // Response.
            var shareInfo = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ShareInfo>(Encoding.UTF8.GetString(response));

score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 01 '16 at 07:37

 public static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string json = @" {
    ""children"": [
            {
        ""url"": ""foo.pdf"", 
                ""expanded"": false, 
                ""label"": ""E14288-Passive-40085-2014_09_26.pdf"", 
                ""last_modified"": ""2014-09-28T11:19:49.000Z"", 
                ""type"": 1, 
                ""size"": 60929
            }
        ]
     }";




    var result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ChildrenRootObject>(json);
    DataTable tbl = DataTableFromObject(result.children);
}

public static DataTable DataTableFromObject<T>(IList<T> list)
{
    DataTable tbl = new DataTable();
    tbl.TableName = typeof(T).Name;

    var propertyInfos = typeof(T).GetProperties();
    List<string> columnNames = new List<string>();

    foreach (PropertyInfo propertyInfo in propertyInfos)
    {
        tbl.Columns.Add(propertyInfo.Name, propertyInfo.PropertyType);
        columnNames.Add(propertyInfo.Name);
    }

    foreach(var item in list)
    {
        DataRow row = tbl.NewRow();
        foreach (var name in columnNames)
        {
            row[name] = item.GetType().GetProperty(name).GetValue(item, null);
        }

        tbl.Rows.Add(row);
    }

    return tbl;
}

public class Child
{
    public string url { get; set; }
    public bool expanded { get; set; }
    public string label { get; set; }
    public DateTime last_modified { get; set; }
    public int type { get; set; }
    public int size { get; set; }
}

public class ChildrenRootObject
{
    public List<Child> children { get; set; }
}

While this code snippet may solve the question, [including an explanation](//meta.stackexchange.com/questions/114762/explaining-entirely-code-based-answers) really helps to improve the quality of your post. Remember that you are answering the question for readers in the future, and those people might not know the reasons for your code suggestion. Please also try not to crowd your code with explanatory comments, this reduces the readability of both the code and the explanations! — kayess, Dec 01 '16 at 08:30

score 2 · Answer 8 · edited Apr 18 '19 at 21:49

2

I also had the issue of parsing and using JSON objects in C#. I checked the dynamic type with some libraries, but the issue was always checking if a property exists.

In the end, I stumbled upon this web page, which saved me a lot of time. It automatically creates a strongly typed class based on your JSON data, that you will use with the Newtonsoft library, and it works perfectly. It also works with languages other than C#.

edited Apr 18 '19 at 21:49

Peter Mortensen

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answered Mar 12 '19 at 09:49

davidthegrey

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But will that handle the irregular types in this particular JSON (in the question). Have you actually tried to run it? – Peter Mortensen Apr 18 '19 at 22:03
It handles missing json properties quite well (it will automatically convert to nullable types when it recognises properties not repeated in the arrays of objects). Of course having a c# converter class would not make sense if the json was completely irregular/randomic. In those situations, using dynamic is the way to go. In complex situations, like the project I am working on, I had to make some minor manual adjustments, eg converting some integer types to decimal (if the sample you submit does not contain fractional figures), manually adding nullables, ... – davidthegrey Apr 27 '19 at 12:25

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered May 02 '13 at 14:08

1

I am using following:

    using System.Web.Script.Serialization;       

    ...

    public static T ParseResponse<T>(string data)
    {
        return new JavaScriptSerializer().Deserialize<T>(data);
    }

answered May 02 '13 at 14:08

Uzzy

550
3
14

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Mar 06 '18 at 08:43

1

I solved this problem to add a public setter for all properties, which should be deserialized.

answered Mar 06 '18 at 08:43

everydayXpert

785
2
11
27

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Mar 26 '18 at 04:19

You can solve your problem like below bunch of codes

public class Response
{
    public string loopa { get; set; }
    public string drupa{ get; set; }
    public Image[] images { get; set; }
}

public class RootObject<T>
    {
        public List<T> response{ get; set; }

    }

var des = (RootObject<Response>)Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(Your JSon String, typeof(RootObject<Response>));

score 0 · Answer 12 · edited Dec 20 '19 at 02:42

0

You could use the nuget package Newtonsoft.JSON in order to achieve this:

JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Response>>(yourJsonString)

edited Dec 20 '19 at 02:42

Twenty

5,234
4
32
67

answered Dec 04 '19 at 13:34

Liviu Preda

1

2

Welcome to Stack Overflow. Perhaps some [clearer formatting](https://stackoverflow.com/help/formatting) could help improve your answer. – Ann Kilzer Dec 04 '19 at 13:38

How do I deserialize a complex JSON object in C# .NET?

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