JSON to C# Class Names with Spaces

Question

I am returning the following JSON Class from an API Request

"Top Uncommitted Spend": [
                {
                  "AccountID": 99999991,
                  "H1": "Liabilities",
                  "H2": "Top Uncommitted Spend",
                  "H3": "",
                  "SH1": "",
                  "Description": "FUEL (ATM,ATM FEE)",
                  "Count": 4,
                  "FrequencyDescription": "Mostly 17 Days",
                  "FrequencyDuration": "Ongoing",
                  "FrequencyDurationDate": "11Aug - 30Sep",
                  "FrequencyWeekday": "",
                  "FrequencyAmount": 116,
                  "FrequencyAmountRange": "(2-280)",
                  "TotalAmount": 464,
                  "TotalInAmount": 0,
                  "TotalOutAmount": 464,
                  "MonthlyAmount": 305.5481,
                  "GroupID": "128081-1241",
                  "Display": "FUEL",
                  "FrequencyExactness": "Mostly",
                  "FrequencyPeriod": "17 Days",
                  "ScoreEmployer": null,
                  "ScoreDirCr": null,
                  "ScoreWeekday": null,
                  "ScoreFrequency": null,
                  "ScoreAmount": null,
                  "ScoreTotal": 0
                },

When I use json2csharp to generate my class I get this because the tag has spaces in the name.

    public class Liabilities
{
    public List<Rent> Rent { get; set; }
    public List<Periodic> Periodic { get; set; }
    public List<NonPeriodic> __invalid_name__Non-Periodic { get; set; }
    public List<TopUncommittedSpend> __invalid_name__Top Uncommitted Spend { get; set; }
}

When I remove the "__invalid_name__" and the from the name. My parses but when run it throws an "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" error.

My question is how do I derseriaise this in order to get the data out without removing the spaces?

Well, it's obviously null because you've changed the property name and thus it's not being populated - I don't see how that's relevant to the question. Check the documentation of your serialization library to see how you can map a property to a different JSON property name. Likely involves adding attributes. — Rob, Apr 24 '17 at 05:43

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

Try removing the spaces to get a valid c# class using json2csharp first.

Then use data annotation to get the model binder to recognise it.

Example:

public class Liabilities
{
    //removed other collections for simplicity
    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "Top Uncommitted Spend")]  // <-- *add this*
    public List<TopUncommittedSpend> TopUncommittedSpend { get; set; }
}

public class TopUncommittedSpend
{
    public int AccountID { get; set; }
    public string H1 { get; set; }
    public string H2 { get; set; }
    //removed for simplicity
}

Now if you do a post to your api controller using the below:

{
    "Top Uncommitted Spend": [{
            "AccountID": 99999991,
            "H1": "Liabilities",
            "H2": "Top Uncommitted Spend"
        }
    ]
}

It should work.

Awesome thanks. This was what I was struggling with. – Lucas Perrett Apr 24 '17 at 11:11 — Lucas Perrett, Apr 24 '17 at 11:11

JSON to C# Class Names with Spaces

1 Answers1