Convert Object to JSON in MVC 4

Question

I am converting an object to JSON using JavaScriptSerializer and I can see this JSON output in server code:

[{\"UserId\":1,\"UserName\":\"Admin\"}]
         


        

Answer 1

If you are using the Razor view engine you need to use the Html.Raw method:

<script type="text/javascript">
    var model = @Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model));
</script>

Notice the usage of the Json.Encode method which is shorter and equivalent to new JavaScriptSerializer().Serialize().

Answer 2

Why are you doing that? Why not just return a JsonResult?

public ActionResult MyMethod()
{
    List<ListItem> list = new List<ListItem>() {
        new ListItem() { UserId = "1", UserName = "Admin" },
        new ListItem() { UserId = "2", UserName = "JohnDoe" },
        new ListItem() { UserId = "3", UserName = "JaneDoe" }};

    return this.Json(list);
}

Answer 3

Just one more thing on Darin Dimitrov's answer. In my VS2012 there is a compilation error with the semicolon, cuz the statement from JS side is actually "var model = ;". A way around using a pair of quotation to wrap the Razor part like this:

var model = "@Html.Raw(Json.Encode(Model))";

This will not cause any error.

Json.Encode() seems to be a wrapper function of JavaScriptSerializer. I'm not sure if the latter is more time efficient.