How to write a JSON file in pretty format using .Net

Question

When writing a json string to a file using the following code below, it doesn't show up in a pretty format when editing the file, but rather just shows up as a string format. If I use .Net fiddle, the console output is correct and it looks good. How do I write the json string to a file, so when editing /w say notepad++ it shows up in a pretty format. Can someone help?

.Net Fiddle code for console output which works fine

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        String sPrettyStr;
        var item = "{\"messageType\":\"0\",\"code\":\"1\"}";
        sPrettyStr = JValue.Parse(item).ToString(Newtonsoft.Json.Formatting.Indented);
        Console.WriteLine(sPrettyStr);
    }
}

.Net Fiddle console output

{
  "messageType": "0",
  "code": "1"
}

But when writing a formatted json string to file using this

File.WriteAllText(c:/test.json,JValue.Parse(item).ToString(Newtonsoft.Json.Formatting.Indented))

I get this file output when edited w/ notepad++

"{\\\"messageType\\\":\\\"0\\\",\\\"code\\\"}"

Possible duplicate of [How do I get formatted JSON in .NET using C#?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2661063/how-do-i-get-formatted-json-in-net-using-c) — Tobias Theel, Feb 21 '19 at 21:45
Nope, I've tried all those examples and they don't work. The file output still remains in a string format. — , Feb 21 '19 at 21:53
So using this [link](https://www.newtonsoft.com/json/help/html/WriteJsonWithJsonTextWriter.htm) does not work? — HenryMigo, Feb 21 '19 at 21:55
I've copied and pasted your code into LINQPad and it produces the output you want, so there is apparently some code you're not showing that is interfering with the code. — Heretic Monkey, Feb 21 '19 at 22:01
I copy/pasted your code into a new console app, and got the desired results as well with no changes. — GalacticJello, Feb 21 '19 at 22:04
Same for me, just tried it. The code produces the expexted, pretty printed result. See [here](https://imgur.com/a/DbxHgAc) — Tobias Theel, Feb 21 '19 at 22:06
Try using JToken.Parse() instead of JValue.Parse(). Maybe you are using older version of the library that treats given string as a literal. — zendu, Feb 21 '19 at 22:08
The JToken.Parse() seems to work and now the File output is in the correct format. Thanks so much! — , Feb 21 '19 at 22:23

HenryMigo · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-21T22:21:28.370

After having a gander and attempting myself this is what I found: You first have to deserialize the string then serialize it again.

EDIT: Took your code as well and got the desired output also like others in comment have said. I tweaked to use JToken instead of JValue and all is good.

using System;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;

namespace StackOverflow
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var item = "{\"messageType\":\"0\",\"code\":\"1\"}";

            var t = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(item);
            var x = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(t, Formatting.Indented);

            string sPrettyStr;
            var item2 = "{\"messageType\":\"0\",\"code\":\"1\"}";
            sPrettyStr = JToken.Parse(item2).ToString(Formatting.Indented);

            Console.WriteLine(x);
            Console.WriteLine(sPrettyStr);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}

Credit to Frank from here

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 22 '19 at 02:21

0

Try this code:

var item = "{\"messageType\":\"0\",\"code\":\"1\"}";
JToken token = JToken.Parse(item);
JObject json = JObject.Parse((string) token);
Console.WriteLine(json);

edited Feb 22 '19 at 02:21

MarredCheese

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answered Feb 22 '19 at 00:16

djsp

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How to write a JSON file in pretty format using .Net

2 Answers2