C# parse array in json

Question

I have following json structure:

{
    [{
        "name": "2542",
        "type": "FOLDER",
        "size": 0,
        "time": 0,
        "items": [{
            "name": "10-1432927746000.ksf",
            "type": "FILE",
            "size": 225,
            "time": 1433019520,
            "items": null,
            "info": {
                "seller": 10,
                "count": 2
            }
        }],
        "info": null
    }]
}

how can I parse it with C#? I have try var results = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<dynamic>(json) but the result is an error:

Invalid property identifier character: [. Path '', line 1, position 1.

I'm not so sure this is valid JSON to being with; the outermost array should start with an identifier e.g { "things":[....]} — Stephen Byrne, May 31 '15 at 12:19
This is invalid `JSON`. Check http://jsonlint.com/. You start with an object and right inside put an array without property name. — Ivan Sivak, May 31 '15 at 12:20
It's an array or a single object? Try without the first braces! — Daniel Oliveira, May 31 '15 at 12:20
you can use below answer or you can remove outer curly braces { }. — Anupam Singh, May 31 '15 at 12:36

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered May 31 '15 at 12:22

The JSON posted doesn't lint so I suspect this is the root of your problem.

However this does:

{
    "things":[{
        "name": "2542",
        "type": "FOLDER",
        "size": 0,
        "time": 0,
        "items": [{
            "name": "10-1432927746000.ksf",
            "type": "FILE",
            "size": 225,
            "time": 1433019520,
            "items": null,
            "info": {
                "seller": 10,
                "count": 2
            }
        }],
        "info": null
    }]
}

Note how the outermost array has now has an identifier which is required; that is to say your parsed object will have a things property which is an array of that inner structure.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 31 '15 at 12:34

Complementing the @Stephen awswer, you can yet use only the inner array, like in this sample.

[{
        "name": "2542",
        "type": "FOLDER",
        "size": 0,
        "time": 0,
        "items": [{
            "name": "10-1432927746000.ksf",
            "type": "FILE",
            "size": 225,
            "time": 1433019520,
            "items": null,
            "info": {
                "seller": 10,
                "count": 2
            }
        }],
        "info": null
    }]

Anyway, the issue seems to be your original json realy. =)

C# parse array in json

2 Answers2