javascriptserializer date format issue

Question

I am serializing a complex object with lot of properties of other Types and Lists to JSON form but the issue is with DateTime properties. I get the epoch time with Javascrip

Answer 1

There is a solution to this using the RegisterConverters method on the serializer object.

Custom DateTime JSON Format for .NET JavaScriptSerializer

You just create a class that inherit JavaScriptConverter and implement your own serialization of the DateTime object.

And then serialize like this:

var obj = new { date = DateTime.Now };
var ser = new JavaScriptSerializer();
ser.RegisterConverters(new[] { new DateTimeJavaScriptConverter() });
var result = ser.Serialize(obj);

result = {"date":"2019-10-25T11:49:58.7322411Z"}

Change the line

return new CustomString(((DateTime)obj).ToUniversalTime().ToString("O"));

for your custom version of the DateTime.

The class from the link:

public class DateTimeJavaScriptConverter : JavaScriptConverter
{
    public override object Deserialize(IDictionary dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
    {
        return new JavaScriptSerializer().ConvertToType(dictionary, type);
    }

    public override IDictionary Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
    {
        if (!(obj is DateTime)) return null;
        return new CustomString(((DateTime)obj).ToUniversalTime().ToString("O"));
    }

    public override IEnumerable SupportedTypes
    {
      get { return new[] { typeof(DateTime) }; }
    }

    private class CustomString : Uri, IDictionary
    {
        public CustomString(string str)
          : base(str, UriKind.Relative)
        {
        }

        void IDictionary.Add(string key, object value)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        bool IDictionary.ContainsKey(string key)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        ICollection IDictionary.Keys
        {
            get { throw new NotImplementedException(); }
        }

        bool IDictionary.Remove(string key)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        bool IDictionary.TryGetValue(string key, out object value)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }

        ICollection