When serializing JSON: how to determine what caused InvalidCastException?

Question

I am serializing a class using Newtonsoft.JSON, and I'm finding that some member in some class is causing this error:

System.InvalidCastException: Specified cast is not valid.
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeDictionary(JsonWriter writer, IDictionary values, JsonDictionaryContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeObject(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonObjectContract contract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract collectionContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.SerializeValue(JsonWriter writer, Object value, JsonContract valueContract, JsonProperty member, JsonContainerContract containerContract, JsonProperty containerProperty)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalWriter.Serialize(JsonWriter jsonWriter, Object value, Type objectType)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializer.SerializeInternal(JsonWriter jsonWriter, Object value, Type objectType)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializer.Serialize(JsonWriter jsonWriter, Object value, Type objectType)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObjectInternal(Object value, Type type, JsonSerializer jsonSerializer)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(Object value, Type type, JsonSerializerSettings settings)
   at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(Object value)
   at Blah(Blah blah) in c:\Users\gnychis\Documents\example\Example\Blah.cs:line 336

The exception doesn't tell me which member in which class though, so I'm having an extremely hard time determining which member has an InvalidCastException.

Does anyone know a way I can narrow down this issue?

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:14

First, you must find a class, that throws an Exception (if you don't know now). Just create instanses of every class and serialize them.

After that you have two variants. First: create new class likes your, only with the first field. Try to serialize it. If all is OK, create class with 2 fields. Try to serialize it. Repeat until exception.

Other variant: use [ScriptIgnore] [attribute]1 to fields step by step.

Third variant: fill your class by different values, and use Debug. You shall find your value at Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(Object value, Type type, JsonSerializerSettings settings)

When serializing JSON: how to determine what caused InvalidCastException?

1 Answers1