Problem
Is it possible to convert JSON content to a C# dynamic type? To use the DataContractJsonSerializer, it would be helpful to avoid having to create a number of classes.
Asked by jswanson
Solution #1
You can use the Json class if you don’t mind having a reliance on the System.Web.Helpers assembly:
dynamic data = Json.Decode(json);
It’s bundled with the MVC framework and available as a separate download for the.NET 4 framework. If you find Vlad’s advice useful, please leave him an upvote! If you can’t presume this DLL is present in the client environment, continue reading.
Here is a suggestion for a different deserialization method. I tweaked the code to correct an issue and make it more suited to my coding style. All you’ll need is this code plus a System.Web reference. Extending your project’s scope:
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.Dynamic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
public sealed class DynamicJsonConverter : JavaScriptConverter
{
public override object Deserialize(IDictionary<string, object> dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
{
if (dictionary == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("dictionary");
return type == typeof(object) ? new DynamicJsonObject(dictionary) : null;
}
public override IDictionary<string, object> Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public override IEnumerable<Type> SupportedTypes
{
get { return new ReadOnlyCollection<Type>(new List<Type>(new[] { typeof(object) })); }
}
#region Nested type: DynamicJsonObject
private sealed class DynamicJsonObject : DynamicObject
{
private readonly IDictionary<string, object> _dictionary;
public DynamicJsonObject(IDictionary<string, object> dictionary)
{
if (dictionary == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("dictionary");
_dictionary = dictionary;
}
public override string ToString()
{
var sb = new StringBuilder("{");
ToString(sb);
return sb.ToString();
}
private void ToString(StringBuilder sb)
{
var firstInDictionary = true;
foreach (var pair in _dictionary)
{
if (!firstInDictionary)
sb.Append(",");
firstInDictionary = false;
var value = pair.Value;
var name = pair.Key;
if (value is string)
{
sb.AppendFormat("{0}:\"{1}\"", name, value);
}
else if (value is IDictionary<string, object>)
{
new DynamicJsonObject((IDictionary<string, object>)value).ToString(sb);
}
else if (value is ArrayList)
{
sb.Append(name + ":[");
var firstInArray = true;
foreach (var arrayValue in (ArrayList)value)
{
if (!firstInArray)
sb.Append(",");
firstInArray = false;
if (arrayValue is IDictionary<string, object>)
new DynamicJsonObject((IDictionary<string, object>)arrayValue).ToString(sb);
else if (arrayValue is string)
sb.AppendFormat("\"{0}\"", arrayValue);
else
sb.AppendFormat("{0}", arrayValue);
}
sb.Append("]");
}
else
{
sb.AppendFormat("{0}:{1}", name, value);
}
}
sb.Append("}");
}
public override bool TryGetMember(GetMemberBinder binder, out object result)
{
if (!_dictionary.TryGetValue(binder.Name, out result))
{
// return null to avoid exception. caller can check for null this way...
result = null;
return true;
}
result = WrapResultObject(result);
return true;
}
public override bool TryGetIndex(GetIndexBinder binder, object[] indexes, out object result)
{
if (indexes.Length == 1 && indexes[0] != null)
{
if (!_dictionary.TryGetValue(indexes[0].ToString(), out result))
{
// return null to avoid exception. caller can check for null this way...
result = null;
return true;
}
result = WrapResultObject(result);
return true;
}
return base.TryGetIndex(binder, indexes, out result);
}
private static object WrapResultObject(object result)
{
var dictionary = result as IDictionary<string, object>;
if (dictionary != null)
return new DynamicJsonObject(dictionary);
var arrayList = result as ArrayList;
if (arrayList != null && arrayList.Count > 0)
{
return arrayList[0] is IDictionary<string, object>
? new List<object>(arrayList.Cast<IDictionary<string, object>>().Select(x => new DynamicJsonObject(x)))
: new List<object>(arrayList.Cast<object>());
}
return result;
}
}
#endregion
}
You can put it to use in the following way:
string json = ...;
var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
serializer.RegisterConverters(new[] { new DynamicJsonConverter() });
dynamic obj = serializer.Deserialize(json, typeof(object));
Given a JSON string, we can:
{
"Items":[
{ "Name":"Apple", "Price":12.3 },
{ "Name":"Grape", "Price":3.21 }
],
"Date":"21/11/2010"
}
At runtime, the following code will work:
dynamic data = serializer.Deserialize(json, typeof(object));
data.Date; // "21/11/2010"
data.Items.Count; // 2
data.Items[0].Name; // "Apple"
data.Items[0].Price; // 12.3 (as a decimal)
data.Items[1].Name; // "Grape"
data.Items[1].Price; // 3.21 (as a decimal)
Answered by Drew Noakes
Solution #2
Using Json.NET, it’s quite simple:
dynamic stuff = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject("{ 'Name': 'Jon Smith', 'Address': { 'City': 'New York', 'State': 'NY' }, 'Age': 42 }");
string name = stuff.Name;
string address = stuff.Address.City;
Also using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq:
dynamic stuff = JObject.Parse("{ 'Name': 'Jon Smith', 'Address': { 'City': 'New York', 'State': 'NY' }, 'Age': 42 }");
string name = stuff.Name;
string address = stuff.Address.City;
Documentation: Dynamic JSON Querying
Answered by Tom Peplow
Solution #3
You can do this with the help of System. Web.Helpers. The Decode method of Json returns a dynamic object that you can navigate as needed.
It’s a part of the System. Assemble Web.Helpers (.NET 4.0).
var dynamicObject = Json.Decode(jsonString);
Answered by Vlad Iliescu
Solution #4
This is done with a built-in library in.NET 4.0:
using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
JavaScriptSerializer jss = new JavaScriptSerializer();
var d = jss.Deserialize<dynamic>(str);
This is the most straightforward method.
Answered by Peter Long
Solution #5
Without using a third-party DLL file, you can convert “string JSON data” to an object:
WebClient client = new WebClient();
string getString = client.DownloadString("https://graph.facebook.com/zuck");
JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
dynamic item = serializer.Deserialize<object>(getString);
string name = item["name"];
//note: JavaScriptSerializer in this namespaces
//System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer
It’s worth noting that you can also use a custom object.
Personel item = serializer.Deserialize<Personel>(getString);
Answered by İbrahim Özbölük
Post is based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3142495/deserialize-json-into-c-sharp-dynamic-object