How to ignore a property in class if null, using j

Question

I am using Json.NET to serialize a class to JSON.

I have the class like this:

class Test1
{
    [JsonProperty("id")]
    public string ID { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("label")]
    public string Label { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("url")]
    public string URL { get; set; }
    [JsonProperty("item")]
    public List<Test2> Test2List { get; set; }
}

I want to add a JsonIgnore() attribute to Test2List property only when Test2List is null. If it is not null then I want to include it in my json.

Answer 1

Similar to @sirthomas's answer, JSON.NET also respects the EmitDefaultValue property on DataMemberAttribute:

[DataMember(Name="property_name", EmitDefaultValue=false)]

This may be desirable if you are already using [DataContract] and [DataMember] in your model type and don't want to add JSON.NET-specific attributes.

Answer 2

An adaption to @Mrchief's / @amit's answer, but for people using VB

 Dim JSONOut As String = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(
           myContainerObject, 
           New JsonSerializerSettings With {
                 .NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore
               }
  )

See: "Object Initializers: Named and Anonymous Types (Visual Basic)"

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb385125.aspx

Answer 3

As per James Newton King: If you create the serializer yourself rather than using JavaScriptConvert there is a NullValueHandling property which you can set to ignore.

Here's a sample:

JsonSerializer _jsonWriter = new JsonSerializer {
                                 NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore
                             };

---

Alternatively, as suggested by @amit

JsonConvert.SerializeObject(myObject, 
                            Newtonsoft.Json.Formatting.None, 
                            new JsonSerializerSettings { 
                                NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore
                            });

Answer 4

An alternate solution using the JsonProperty attribute:

[JsonProperty(NullValueHandling=NullValueHandling.Ignore)]
// or
[JsonProperty("property_name", NullValueHandling=NullValueHandling.Ignore)]

// or for all properties in a class
[JsonObject(ItemNullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore)]

As seen in this online doc.

Answer 5

You can write: [JsonProperty("property_name",DefaultValueHandling = DefaultValueHandling.Ignore)]

It also takes care of not serializing properties with default values (not only null). It can be useful for enums for example.

Answer 6

As can be seen in this link on their site (http://james.newtonking.com/archive/2009/10/23/efficient-json-with-json-net-reducing-serialized-json-size.aspx) I support using [Default()] to specify default values

Taken from the link

   public class Invoice
{
  public string Company { get; set; }
  public decimal Amount { get; set; }

  // false is default value of bool
  public bool Paid { get; set; }
  // null is default value of nullable
  public DateTime? PaidDate { get; set; }

  // customize default values
  [DefaultValue(30)]
  public int FollowUpDays { get; set; }
  [DefaultValue("")]
  public string FollowUpEmailAddress { get; set; }
}


Invoice invoice = new Invoice
{
  Company = "Acme Ltd.",
  Amount = 50.0m,
  Paid = false,
  FollowUpDays = 30,
  FollowUpEmailAddress = string.Empty,
  PaidDate = null
};

string included = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(invoice,
  Formatting.Indented,
  new JsonSerializerSettings { });

// {
//   "Company": "Acme Ltd.",
//   "Amount": 50.0,
//   "Paid": false,
//   "PaidDate": null,
//   "FollowUpDays": 30,
//   "FollowUpEmailAddress": ""
// }

string ignored = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(invoice,
  Formatting.Indented,
  new JsonSerializerSettings { DefaultValueHandling = DefaultValueHandling.Ignore });

// {
//   "Company": "Acme Ltd.",
//   "Amount": 50.0
// }