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I just solved a recent problem where Json.Net allows me to include the 'type' of an object when it serializes it going to the Client. The reason for this is that the class that I'm sending back and forth has a property that is typed as a BaseClass to 4 Subclasses. The great thing now is that my client is showing each one correctly with the type attribute on the Json.

Now I need to send the object back to my Controller, not to an API controller. I've seen a bunch of posts about the api controller using Json.Net as the default JsonFormatter, but this doesn't work for a regular MVC Controller.

So my question is....How can I get my Controller to use the Json.Net Serializer by default? And...will this cause an issue for other items potentially making ajax calls?

I was able to send my json back to my controller as a string and then use JsonConvert to Deserialize my object successfully, so I know it can be done.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

EDIT: Ok, so I followed the instructions here to change out the JsonValueProviderFactory and that seems to be working, however its not helping the original issue.

The problem is that the JsonFormatter is still the old one and not using Json.Net. So the ProviderFactory is building the dictionary correctly, but when it tries to Deserialize my object, I'm only getting my properties cast as the BaseClass, and not the Derived Class that I'm expecting.

Thoughts on that part?

EDIT: Simply...how do I create my own JsonNetMediaTypeFormatter in MVC4? I've changed the ProviderFactory, but that only changes how each individual parameter is serialized to its corresponding value. What I need to do is to use Json.Net so that my Parameters that are typed as a Hierarchy is serialized to the correct derived class...not typed as the Baseclass.

Edit - Last: Ok...so I did verify that if I call an ApiController, it maps the incoming parameter with the correct subclass. So, I can go this route, but I'd really like to find a way to have the same result with my regular Controller.

Matt S.
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1 Answers1

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I had the same issue and resolved it by simply overriding the Json method on my base controller class.

EX:

protected override JsonResult Json(object data, string contentType, System.Text.Encoding contentEncoding, JsonRequestBehavior behavior)
{
    var result = new JsonNetResult
        {
            Data = data,
            ContentEncoding = contentEncoding,
            JsonRequestBehavior = behavior
        };
    return result;
}
Matt Klinker
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  • Thanks for the answer, but I do have that working two different ways. What I need is to set the JsonFormatter as the default one for calls to my Controller so that it can Deserialize a hierarchy of classes. – Matt S. Feb 17 '14 at 17:24
  • Seems I misunderstood the original problem, I was thinking your problem was serializing the data out, not receiving it back in. The process of mapping incoming data onto the action parameters is model binding, and I believe you can find enough info with this answer: http://stackoverflow.com/a/13749124/109456 Hope it helps – Matt Klinker Feb 18 '14 at 14:33