Json.Net - Deserialize object with "dynamic" properties

Question

I got the following Json data

{
    "HasErrors": false,
    "Includes": {
        "Products": {
            "091006": { 
               "hej" : "tja"
             },
             "091026": { 
               "hej" : "tjafsafsa"
             }
         }
    }   
}

By dynamic JSON i mean that the propertys on the Products class changes so I cant hardcode them in the c# class in the same way that I do with "HasErrors" for example.

Example:

{
    "HasErrors": false,
    "Includes": {
        "Products": {
            "091006": { 
               "hej" : "tja"
             },
             "091026": { 
               "hej" : "tjafsafsa"
             }
         }
    }   
}

Another example:

{
    "HasErrors": false,
    "Includes": {
        "Products": {
            "091126": { //CHANGED 
               "hej" : "tja"
             },
             "091043226": { //CHANGED
               "hej" : "tjafsafsa"
             }
         }
    }   
}

I've built up the following classes in .NET

Response.cs

public class Response<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("hasErrors")]
    public bool HasErrors { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("includes")]
    public Includes<T> Includes { get; set; }
}

Includes.cs

public class Includes<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("products")]
    public ProductRoot Products { get; set; }
}

ProductRoot.cs

public class ProductRoot
{
    [JsonProperty("products")]
    public Dictionary<string, Product> Products { get; set; } 
}

Product.cs

public class Product
{
    [JsonProperty("hej")]
    public string Hej { get; set; }
}

I then try to Deserialize it like this:

var hej = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Response<Product>>(json_from_above_as_string);

And then I get this error:

Could not cast or convert from System.String to www.Models.Externals.Product.

[JsonSerializationException: Error converting value "091006" to type 'www.Models.Externals.Product'. Path 'Includes.ProductsOrder[0]', line 1, position 15173.]

You guys have any idea of what Im doing wrong?

How is the JSON dynamic? Does it not always follow that structure? This should be a pretty simple bit of JSON to deserialize. — mason
– mason, Commented Feb 19, 2015 at 15:14
Ah sorry, yes it follows the same structure, but the productIds differ, the 091006 could be 091009 or 091012 sometimes. So I cant just add theses properties as properties in the C# class, do you understand me? I've updated my post. — JOSEFtw
– JOSEFtw, Commented Feb 19, 2015 at 15:17

Yannick Meeus · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-19 15:36:55Z

1

I've instantiated an object of type <Response<Product>> successfully and serialized it to get a feel about what's happening under the hood and, as an example, the JSON I get out of it is as follows:

{  
    "hasErrors":false,
    "includes":{  
        "products":{  
            "products":{  
                "091006":{  
                    "hej":"tja"
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

This shows that your JSON simply doesn't marry up with your object model. You can do a couple of things. Either change your JSON format to something like the above, or change your object model to the following:

public class Response<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("hasErrors")]
    public bool HasErrors { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("includes")]
    public Includes<T> Includes { get; set; }
}

public class Includes<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("products")]
    public Dictionary<string, T> Products { get; set; }
}

public class Product
{
    [JsonProperty("hej")]
    public string Hej { get; set; }
}

answered Feb 19, 2015 at 15:36

Yannick Meeus

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1 Comment

JOSEFtw Over a year ago

Yeah I solved it just before you psoted, but I will give you the accept, thanks man!

JOSEFtw · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-19 15:35:16Z

0

I solved it by removing the ProductRoot class.

It now looks like this:

public class Response<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("hasErrors")]
    public bool HasErrors { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("includes")]
    public Includes<T> Includes { get; set; }
}

public class Includes<T> where T : new()
{
    [JsonProperty("products")]
    public Dictionary<string, Product>Products { get; set; }
}

answered Feb 19, 2015 at 15:35

JOSEFtw

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