How can I parse JSON with C#?

Question

I have the following code:

var user = (Dictionary<string, object>)serializer.DeserializeObject(responsecontent);

The input in responsecontent is JSON, but it is not properly parsed into an object. How should I properly deserialize it?

Answer 1

I am assuming you are not using Json.NET (Newtonsoft.Json NuGet package). If this the case, then you should try it.

It has the following features:

1. LINQ to JSON
2. The JsonSerializer for quickly converting your .NET objects to JSON and back again
3. Json.NET can optionally produce well formatted, indented JSON for debugging or display
4. Attributes like JsonIgnore and JsonProperty can be added to a class to customize how a class is serialized
5. Ability to convert JSON to and from XML
6. Supports multiple platforms: .NET, Silverlight and the Compact Framework

Look at the example below. In this example, JsonConvert class is used to convert an object to and from JSON. It has two static methods for this purpose. They are SerializeObject(Object obj) and DeserializeObject<T>(String json):

Product product = new Product();
product.Name = "Apple";
product.Expiry = new DateTime(2008, 12, 28);
product.Price = 3.99M;
product.Sizes = new string[] { "Small", "Medium", "Large" };

string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(product);
//{
//  "Name": "Apple",
//  "Expiry": "2008-12-28T00:00:00",
//  "Price": 3.99,
//  "Sizes": [
//    "Small",
//    "Medium",
//    "Large"
//  ]
//}

Product deserializedProduct = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Product>(json);

Answer 2

Try the following code:

HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create("URL");
JArray array = new JArray();
using (var twitpicResponse = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponse())
using (var reader = new StreamReader(twitpicResponse.GetResponseStream()))
{
    JavaScriptSerializer js = new JavaScriptSerializer();
    var objText = reader.ReadToEnd();

    JObject joResponse = JObject.Parse(objText);
    JObject result = (JObject)joResponse["result"];
    array = (JArray)result["Detail"];
    string statu = array[0]["dlrStat"].ToString();
}

Answer 3

Here are some options without using third party libraries:

// For that you will need to add reference to System.Runtime.Serialization
var jsonReader = JsonReaderWriterFactory.CreateJsonReader(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(@"{ ""Name"": ""Jon Smith"", ""Address"": { ""City"": ""New York"", ""State"": ""NY"" }, ""Age"": 42 }"), new System.Xml.XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas());

// For that you will need to add reference to System.Xml and System.Xml.Linq
var root = XElement.Load(jsonReader);
Console.WriteLine(root.XPathSelectElement("//Name").Value);
Console.WriteLine(root.XPathSelectElement("//Address/State").Value);

// For that you will need to add reference to System.Web.Helpers
dynamic json = System.Web.Helpers.Json.Decode(@"{ ""Name"": ""Jon Smith"", ""Address"": { ""City"": ""New York"", ""State"": ""NY"" }, ""Age"": 42 }");
Console.WriteLine(json.Name);
Console.WriteLine(json.Address.State);

See the link for more information about System.Web.Helpers.Json.

Update: Nowadays the easiest way to get the Web.Helpers is to use the NuGet package.

---

If you don't care about earlier windows versions you can use the classes of the Windows.Data.Json namespace:

// minimum supported version: Win 8
JsonObject root = Windows.Data.Json.JsonValue.Parse(jsonString).GetObject();
Console.WriteLine(root["Name"].GetString());
Console.WriteLine(root["Address"].GetObject()["State"].GetString());

Answer 4

System.Json works now...

Install nuget https://www.nuget.org/packages/System.Json

PM> Install-Package System.Json -Version 4.5.0

Sample:

// PM>Install-Package System.Json -Version 4.5.0

using System;
using System.Json;

namespace NetCoreTestConsoleApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Note that json keys are case sensitive, a is not same as A.

            // Json Sample
            string jsonString = "{\"a\": 1,\"b\": \"string value\",\"c\":[{\"Value\": 1}, {\"Value\": 2,\"SubObject\":[{\"SubValue\":3}]}]}";

            // Verify your json if you get any errors here
            JsonValue json = JsonValue.Parse(jsonString);

            // int test
            if (json.ContainsKey("a"))
            {
                int a = json["a"]; // type already set to int
                Console.WriteLine("json[\"a\"]" + " = " + a);
            }

            // string test
            if (json.ContainsKey("b"))
            {
                string b = json["b"];  // type already set to string
                Console.WriteLine("json[\"b\"]" + " = " + b);
            }

            // object array test
            if (json.ContainsKey("c") && json["c"].JsonType == JsonType.Array)
            {
                // foreach loop test
                foreach (JsonValue j in json["c"])
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("j[\"Value\"]" + " = " + j["Value"].ToString());
                }

                // multi level key test
                Console.WriteLine("json[\"c\"][0][\"Value\"]" + " = " + json["c"][0]["Value"].ToString());
                Console.WriteLine("json[\"c\"][0][\"Value\"]" + " = " + json["c"][1]["Value"].ToString());
                Console.WriteLine("json[\"c\"][1][\"SubObject\"][0][\"SubValue\"]" + " = " + json["c"][1]["SubObject"][0]["SubValue"].ToString());
            }

            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.Write("Press any key to exit.");
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

Answer 5

The following from the msdn site should I think help provide some native functionality for what you are looking for. Please note it is specified for Windows 8. One such example from the site is listed below.

JsonValue jsonValue = JsonValue.Parse("{\"Width\": 800, \"Height\": 600, \"Title\": \"View from 15th Floor\", \"IDs\": [116, 943, 234, 38793]}");
double width = jsonValue.GetObject().GetNamedNumber("Width");
double height = jsonValue.GetObject().GetNamedNumber("Height");
string title = jsonValue.GetObject().GetNamedString("Title");
JsonArray ids = jsonValue.GetObject().GetNamedArray("IDs");

It utilizes the Windows.Data.JSON namespace.

Answer 6

var result = controller.ActioName(objParams);
IDictionary<string, object> data = (IDictionary<string, object>)new System.Web.Routing.RouteValueDictionary(result.Data);
Assert.AreEqual("Table already exists.", data["Message"]);