Post JSON object array to a Web API

Question

I'm having a hard time to find a solution for this problem. My API controller is not able to get the content of the array that I posted and is always return 0 element.

Model class:

public class Author
{
    public int id { get; set; }
    public int referenceId{ get; set; }

    [Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute]
    public virtual ICollection<AuthorBook> AuthorBooks { get; set; }
}

public class AuthorBook
{
    public int authorId { get; set; }
    public int bookId { get; set; }
}

API controller method:

[Route("api/authorBooks")]
[HttpPost]
public IList getAuthorBooks(Author author)
{
    return author.AuthorBooks.ToList();
}

JavaScript client:

 var auhtorItem =
      {
          "id": 8,
          "referenceId" : 1 ,
          "AuthorBooks": [{ authorId: 9, bookId : 23 }, { authorId: 9 , bookId  : 25}]
      };

return $.ajax({
    url: booksUrl + "authorBooks",
    type: 'POST',
    data: JSON.stringify(auhtorItem ),
    dataType: 'json',
    contentType: 'application/json',
    crossDomain: true,
    cache: false
});

I'm able to get the id and the referenceId values but the AuthorBooks is empty and the count is 0 instead of 2.

Any idea why?

Because the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute is present on AuthorBooks? — degant
– degant, Commented May 3, 2017 at 17:29
this is not the problem. Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute should not be present on AuthorBooks and yet, there it is, in the code you're showing us. If the code you pasted here differs from the code in the actual program, edit the code here to match your actual problem. — Heretic Monkey
– Heretic Monkey, Commented May 3, 2017 at 17:39
this is not the problem. Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute should not be present on AuthorBooks - then why is it present in the Code Snippet? — Metro Smurf
– Metro Smurf, Commented May 3, 2017 at 17:39
Hey @degant you are right !!! but i have no choice to keep Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute other wise i will have a circular loop when i want to display the the books related to an author — kenp
– kenp, Commented May 3, 2017 at 17:45
@user708683 Unfortunately you will have to remove it. And to avoid a circular loop, you can create wrapper classes for requests/responses as required — degant
– degant, Commented May 3, 2017 at 17:47

degant · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-03 17:43:39Z

4

Try removing the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute attribute from the AuthorBooks property so that it is included during JSON serialization & deserialization:

public virtual ICollection<AuthorBook> AuthorBooks { get; set; }

instead of

[Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute]
public virtual ICollection<AuthorBook> AuthorBooks { get; set; }

You can read up more about the JsonIgnoreAttribute and the example alongwith it to see how it works.

edited May 3, 2017 at 17:43

answered May 3, 2017 at 17:34

degant

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3 Comments

kenp Over a year ago

Hey @degant you are right !!! Next time i will test before confirm something that im not sure of !! but i have no choice to keep Newtonsoft.Json.JsonIgnoreAttribute otherwise i will have a circular loop when i want to display the books related to an author. Do you have an idea or an example on how to create a wrapper classes for requests/responses as required ?

degant Over a year ago

@user708683 You can try something like this or this

kenp Over a year ago

Thank you sir and have a great day :)

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