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Reading and Writing Nested data JSON in C#

I have looked at several solutions over the web on reading nested json files but I haven't found one suitable to my need. Maybe because I am new to JSON. Here is my issue:
I have the following JSON in a file:
{
"ConfigError" : {
"DateSent": "2022-04-28T14:03:16.6628493-07:00",
"ToolType": "WSM",
"IsSent": true
},
"FileCopyError" : {
"DateSent": "2022-06-14T14:03:16.6628493-07:00",
"ToolType": "RMT",
"IsSent": false
}
}
For this I have written two classes. One for the Inner object:
public class SummaryEmailStatus
{
public DateTime DateSent { get; set; }
public string ToolType { get; set; }
public bool IsSent { get; set; }
}
One for the Outer Objects:
public class SummaryEmailClass
{
SummaryEmailStatus Status { get; set; } = new SummaryEmailStatus();
}
I would like to be able to read the JSON in C#. I'm primarily concerned with the inner objects. They are of same class but they need to be used differently. So ideally I'd want a function that I can pass in "ConfigError" or "FileCopyError" into and it will return SummaryEmailStatus class object populated by the values in the JSON:
public static void ReadJasonFile(string jsonFileName, string objctName)
{
List<SummaryEmailClass> emailClassList = new List<SummaryEmailClass>();
dynamic jsonFile = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(File.ReadAllText(jsonFileName));
SummaryEmailStatus sumclass = jsonFile[objctName];
}
But this gives me a run time error saying:
Cannot implicitly convert type "Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject to SummaryEmailStatus
How can I successfully parse out the inner summaryemailstatus objects?
Additionally, I'd like to be able to create the JSON data within C#. The reason being, when I read the JSON, I will do some task and then will need to update the values of the JSON with the current timestamps. I'd imagine, I'd need to rewrite the file. How can I write a nested JSON like this in C#?
If JSON is not the best way to do this, I am open to alternatives

you can try
string json = File.ReadAllText(jsonFileName);
Dictionary<string,SummaryEmailStatus> summaryEmailStatus =
JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string,SummaryEmailStatus>>(json);
you can use it
SummaryEmailStatus configError = summaryEmailStatus["ConfigError"];
if you want update data
summaryEmailStatus["ConfigError"].DateSent= DateTime.Now;
and serialize back
json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(summaryEmailStatus);
or if you have only 2 main properties, create a class
public class SummaryEmailClass
{
SummaryEmailStatus ConfigError { get; set; }
SummaryEmailStatus FileCopyError{ get; set; }
}
and use it
SummaryEmailClass summaryEmailStatus =
JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<SummaryEmailStatusClass>(json);
SummaryEmailStatus configError = summaryEmailStatus.ConfigError;

Summary
You need to convert your JObject into the type you are expecting, as shown here:
SummaryEmailStatus sumclass = jsonFile[objctName].ToObject<SummaryEmailStatus>();
Details
jsonFile[objtName] is of type JObject. The reason is because JsonConvert.DeserializeObject has no idea that you intend to convert that into a list of SummaryEmailStatus.
Once you have your array of JObjects, you can convert that into a SummaryEmailStatus as shown in the following snippet:
public static void ReadJasonFile(string jsonFileName, string objctName)
{
List<SummaryEmailClass> emailClassList = new List<SummaryEmailClass>();
dynamic jsonFile = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(File.ReadAllText(jsonFileName));
SummaryEmailStatus sumclass = jsonFile[objctName].ToObject<SummaryEmailStatus>();
}

Easy way is kept both objects in JSON, I rewrite your code and add root. For example, if you want to write Config Error and don't write File Copy Error, you can save one of them like null.
public class ConfigError
{
public DateTime DateSent { get; set; }
public string ToolType { get; set; }
public bool IsSent { get; set; }
}
public class FileCopyError
{
public DateTime DateSent { get; set; }
public string ToolType { get; set; }
public bool IsSent { get; set; }
}
public class Root
{
public ConfigError ConfigError { get; set; }
public FileCopyError FileCopyError { get; set; }
}
//in your method to get all data
var json = File.ReadAllText(jsonFileName);
var myDeserializedClass = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Root>(json);
Example change config and write to file
var json = #"{
""ConfigError"" : {
""DateSent"": ""2022-04-28T14:03:16.6628493-07:00"",
""ToolType"": ""WSM"",
""IsSent"": true
},
""FileCopyError"" : {
""DateSent"": ""2022-06-14T14:03:16.6628493-07:00"",
""ToolType"": ""RMT"",
""IsSent"": false
}
}";
var conf = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Root>(json);
conf.ConfigError.DateSent = DateTime.Now;
conf.ConfigError.ToolType = "New way";
conf.ConfigError.IsSent = false;
conf.FileCopyError = null;
var newJson = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(conf);
File.WriteAllText("your path", newJson);

How to return IEnumerable json array in a Http Post controller using .Net core

I have the following dotnet core code and I'm trying to return a TestResponse JSON object that has a few nodes under it. However, using the return Enumerable.Range(1, 4).Select(index => new Entities.TestResponse call in the post return for some reason all the attributes of response are not found in the enclosure when clearly Entities.TestResponse has the response definition. I'm probably not configuring the Enumerable enclosure correctly. Does anyone know how to resolve this, so I can set the response.result & response.exception and return response JSON from my REST POST method?
namespace TestApi.Entities
{
public class TestResponse
{
public TestResponseNodes response { get; set; }
}
public class TestResponseNodes
{
public string result { get; set; }
public string exception { get; set; }
}
}
[HttpPost]
public Task<IEnumerable<Entities.TestResponse>> Post([FromBody] String input)
{
return Enumerable.Range(1, 4).Select(index => new Entities.TestResponse
{
response.result = "No Error",
response.exception = "None"
}).ToArray();
}

Your syntax is wrong, you need to also new up the inner object, for example:
new Entities.TestResponse
{
response = new Entities.TestResponseNodes
{
result = "No Error",
exception = "None"
}
}
As an aside, you should follow common C# conventions and capitalise your property names, for example:
public class TestResponse
{
public TestResponseNodes Response;
}
public class TestResponseNodes
{
public string Result { get; set; }
public string Exception { get; set; }
}

Json.Net Deserializing list of c# objects throwing error

I have a list of objects in below json format. I would like to deserialize using below code. It is throwing unable to convert to object error. I have tried below three options, but didnt help. jsoninput is a IEnumerable<string>converted into json object using ToJson().
Error:
{"Error converting value \"{\"id\":\"11ef2c75-9a6d-4cef-8163-94daad4f8397\",\"name\":\"bracing\",\"lastName\":\"male\",\"profilePictureUrl\":null,\"smallUrl\":null,\"thumbnailUrl\":null,\"country\":null,\"isInvalid\":false,\"userType\":0,\"profilePrivacy\":1,\"chatPrivacy\":1,\"callPrivacy\":0}\" to type 'Api.Models.UserInfo'. Path '[0]', line 1, position 271."}
var requests1 = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<UsersInfo>(jsoninput);
var requests2 = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<IEnumerable<UserInfo>>(jsoninput);
var requests3 = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<UserInfo>>(jsoninput);
//Below are my classes,
public class UsersInfo
{
public List<UserInfo> UserInfoList { get; set; }
public UsersInfo()
{
UserInfoList = new List<UserInfo>();
}
}
public class UserInfo
{
public string Id { set; get; }
public string Name { set; get; }
public string LastName { set; get; }
public string ProfilePictureUrl { set; get; }
public string SmallUrl { set; get; }
public string ThumbnailUrl { get; set; }
public string Country { set; get; }
public bool IsInvalid { set; get; }
}
Below is my json object,
["{\"id\":\"11ef2c75-9a6d-4cef-8163-94daad4f8397\",\"name\":\"bracing\",\"lastName\":\"male\",\"profilePictureUrl\":null,\"smallUrl\":null,\"thumbnailUrl\":null,\"country\":null,\"isInvalid\":false}","{\"id\":\"318c0885-2720-472c-ba9e-1d1e120bcf65\",\"name\":\"locomotives\",\"lastName\":\"riddles\",\"profilePictureUrl\":null,\"smallUrl\":null,\"thumbnailUrl\":null,\"country\":null,\"isInvalid\":false}"]
Looping through individual items in json input and if i deserialize it like below, it works fine. But i want to deserialize the list fully. Note: jsoninput was a IEnumerable<string> before i convert in json object.
foreach (var re in jsoninput)
{
var request0 = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<UserInfo>(re);
}

Please look at this fiddle: https://dotnetfiddle.net/XpjuL4
This is the code:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
//Below are my classes,
public class UsersInfo
{
public List<UserInfo> UserInfoList { get; set; }
public UsersInfo()
{
UserInfoList = new List<UserInfo>();
}
}
public class UserInfo
{
public string Id { set; get; }
public string Name { set; get; }
public string LastName { set; get; }
public string ProfilePictureUrl { set; get; }
public string SmallUrl { set; get; }
public string ThumbnailUrl { get; set; }
public string Country { set; get; }
public bool IsInvalid { set; get; }
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine("Hello World");
Option1();
Option2();
}
public static void Option1(){
string json = #"{""UserInfoList"":[
{""id"":""11ef2c75 - 9a6d - 4cef - 8163 - 94daad4f8397"",""name"":""bracing"",""lastName"":""male"",""profilePictureUrl"":null,""smallUrl"":null,""thumbnailUrl"":null,""country"":null,""isInvalid"":false},
{ ""id"":""318c0885-2720-472c-ba9e-1d1e120bcf65"",""name"":""locomotives"",""lastName"":""riddles"",""profilePictureUrl"":null,""smallUrl"":null,""thumbnailUrl"":null,""country"":null,""isInvalid"":false}
]}";
var obj = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<UsersInfo>(json);
obj.UserInfoList.ForEach(e => Console.WriteLine(e.Id));
}
public static void Option2(){
string json = #"[
{""id"":""11ef2c75 - 9a6d - 4cef - 8163 - 94daad4f8397"",""name"":""bracing"",""lastName"":""male"",""profilePictureUrl"":null,""smallUrl"":null,""thumbnailUrl"":null,""country"":null,""isInvalid"":false},
{ ""id"":""318c0885-2720-472c-ba9e-1d1e120bcf65"",""name"":""locomotives"",""lastName"":""riddles"",""profilePictureUrl"":null,""smallUrl"":null,""thumbnailUrl"":null,""country"":null,""isInvalid"":false}
]";
var obj = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<UserInfo>>(json);
obj.ForEach(e => Console.WriteLine(e.Id));
}
}
Both work, and are basically very close to what you are doing. You can either serialize it as a list (based on your json, I think that's the closest to your use case, and that's Option 2).
However, put extra attention to the JSON. I had to re-parse your JSON to make it work (https://jsonformatter.org/json-parser is a nice website to do it). For the sake of explaining the example, in C#, # means raw string, and in raw string, quotes are escaped with double quotes "".
I would expect that the business logic generating this JSON is not correct, if the JSON you pasted is the direct result from it.
EDIT
Given the OP's comment:
Thanks Tu.ma for your thoughts. The other method returns
IEnumerable which is nothing but
Dictionary.Where(x => x.Value == null).Select(x =>
x.Key).ToHashSet(). The values in Dictionary are -> Key
is String, Value is UserInfo object serialized. So, in that case i
should deserialize one by one? If not, i should serialize entire list
in one shot? Am i right? – Raj 12 hours ago
The problem is in the way you are generating the list of UsersInfo. The result from Dictionary<string,string>.Where(x => x.Value == null).Select(x =>
x.Key).ToHashSet() is a bunch of strings, not of objects, so you need to serialize them one by one.
If you are worried about the linearity of the approach, you could consider running through it in parallel. Of course, you need to judge if it fits your application.
var userInfoStrings = Dictionary<string,string>.Where(x => x.Value == null).Select(x => x.Key).ToHashSet();
var UserInfoList = userInfoStrings.AsParallel().Select (u => JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<UsersInfo>(u)).ToList();

Parsing JSON from API - C#

I am requesting a JSON from a standard web service and I need to handle the response so I can work with the objects. I am working in Xamarin Studio - not that i think that matters.
You can see a result from web service by:
https://dawa.aws.dk/vejnavne/autocomplete?q=due
This is requesting street names in Denmark with 'due' in it.
public async Task doAsyncAddress(string input)
{
var template = "https://dawa.aws.dk/vejnavne/autocomplete?q={0}";
var url = string.Format(template, input);
using (var httpClient = new HttpClient())
{
try
{
Task<HttpResponseMessage> getResponse = httpClient.GetAsync(url);
HttpResponseMessage response = await getResponse;
var responseJsonString = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
/*
I have tried different things here, with with JsonConvert and JObject but neither works.. I have an idea that the son string is in wrong format, with "\n" included and i have tried to remove these, but still without results. I can see the string so I know it is there.. But it is not formatted correctly.
*/
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
string message = ex.Message;
return message;
}
}
}
With the JsonConverter.DeserializeObject i do this:
var adress = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Address>>(responseJsonString);
where Address:
public class Address
{
public string tekst { get; set; }
public List<Vejnavne> vejnavn
{ get; set; }
}
public class Vejnavne
{
public string href { get; set; }
public string navn { get; set; }
}
and the response is:
"Cannot deserialize the current JSON object (e.g.
{\"name\":\"value\"}) into type
'System.Collections.Generic.List`1[MinEjendom.Vejnavne]' because the
type requires a JSON array (e.g. [1,2,3]) to deserialize
correctly.\nTo fix this error either change the JSON to a JSON array
(e.g. [1,2,3]) or change the deserialized type so that it is a normal
.NET type (e.g. not a primitive type like integer, not a collection
type like an array or List) that can be deserialized from a JSON
object. JsonObjectAttribute can also be added to the type to force it
to deserialize frenter code hereom a JSON object.\nPath
'[0].vejnavn.href', line 5, position 11.”
And with JObject i get:
"Error reading JObject from JsonReader. Current JsonReader item is not
an object: StartArray. Path '', line 1, position 1."

Your C# code is wrong. This is the correct one:
public class Vejnavn
{
public string href { get; set; }
public string navn { get; set; } // not List<Vejnavne> vejnavn
}
public class Address
{
public string tekst { get; set; }
public Vejnavn vejnavn { get; set; }
}
Then call it like this:
var adress = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Address>>(responseJsonString);

When you've JSON, you are .NET developer and finally - you have to convert JSON to C# class, you should use Edit - > Paste Special -> Paste JSON as classes. This is an awesome tool :)
Your code is wrong. This is the generated class from your JSON :
public class Class1
{
public string tekst { get; set; }
public Vejnavn vejnavn { get; set; }
}
public class Vejnavn
{
public string href { get; set; }
public string navn { get; set; }
}
When you have successfully generated your code, you can rename the class.

deserialize json into .net object using json.net

I am having a problem deserializing some JSON string back into .net objects. I have a container class which contains some information from external and there is a field call ClassType which defined what type of information is that and the actual content is in another property, which currently can be anything, so we define that as an Object type.
Following are the .net class definition which helps to understand the issue.
class ClassOne
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Age { get; set; }
}
class ClassTwo
{
public string AddressLine { get; set; }
public string AddressLine2 { get; set; }
}
class ClassThree
{
public string Country { get; set; }
public string Passport { get; set; }
}
class ContainerClass
{
public string ClassType { get; set; }
public object ClassContent { get; set; }
}
When getting the information from external in a JSON format it will be something like:
{"ClassType":"Class1","ClassContent":{"Name":"James","Age":2}}
I am using Newtonsoft JSON.net library to deserialize the JSON string. It seems like that the default deserialize function will just deserialize that into an Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JContainer. I just wondering how can I write some Converter to deserialize the ClassContent based on the ClassType definition. Any code sample will be highly appreciated.

I would go dynamic way, like:
string json = #"{""ClassType"":""Class1"",""ClassContent"":{""Name"":""James"",""Age"":2}}";
dynamic jObj = JObject.Parse(json);
if (jObj.ClassType == "Class1")
{
Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}", jObj.ClassContent.Name, jObj.ClassContent.Age);
}
Since returning an object (ClassContent) doesn't mean much, and you have to cast it to a concrete class somehow (using some if's or switch).

Sample:
var container = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ContainerClass>(json);
JContainer content = (JContainer)container.ClassContent;
switch(container.ClassType)
{
case "Class1": return container.ToObject(typeof(ClassOne));
..
}

use dynamic and call .ToObject(Type type)
dynamic root = JObject.Parse(json)
return root["ClassContent"].ToObject(Type.GetType(root["ClassType"]))

Try the following
var jsonObject = JObject.Parse(jsonString);
var result = jsonObject.ToObject(Type.GetType("namespace.className"));