JSON.Net Self referencing loop detected

Question

I have a mssql database for my website within 4 tables.

When I use this:

public static string GetAllEventsForJSON()
{
    using (CyberDBDataContext d         


        

Answer 1

I just had the same problem with Parent/Child collections and found that post which has solved my case. I Only wanted to show the List of parent collection items and didn't need any of the child data, therefore i used the following and it worked fine:

JsonConvert.SerializeObject(ResultGroups, Formatting.None,
                        new JsonSerializerSettings()
                        { 
                            ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
                        });

JSON.NET Error Self referencing loop detected for type

it also referes to the Json.NET codeplex page at:

http://json.codeplex.com/discussions/272371

Documentation: ReferenceLoopHandling setting

Answer 2

The fix is to ignore loop references and not to serialize them. This behaviour is specified in JsonSerializerSettings.

Single JsonConvert with an overload:

JsonConvert.SerializeObject((from a in db.Events where a.Active select a).ToList(), Formatting.Indented,
    new JsonSerializerSettings() {
        ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
    }
);

If you'd like to make this the default behaviour, add a Global Setting with code in Application_Start() in Global.asax.cs:

JsonConvert.DefaultSettings = () => new JsonSerializerSettings {
     Formatting = Newtonsoft.Json.Formatting.Indented,
     ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
};

Reference: https://github.com/JamesNK/Newtonsoft.Json/issues/78

Answer 3

The JsonSerializer instance can be configured to ignore reference loops. Like in the following, this function allows to save a file with the content of the json serialized object:

    public static void SaveJson<T>(this T obj, string FileName)
    {
   
       JsonSerializer serializer = new JsonSerializer();
        serializer.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
        using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(FileName))
        {
            using (JsonWriter writer = new JsonTextWriter(sw))
            {
                writer.Formatting = Formatting.Indented;
                serializer.Serialize(writer, obj);
            }
        }
    }

Answer 4

This may help you.

public MyContext() : base("name=MyContext") 
{ 
    Database.SetInitializer(new MyContextDataInitializer()); 
    this.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = false; 
    this.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = false; 
} 

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/Loop-Reference-handling-in-caaffaf7

Answer 5

Sometimes you have loops becouse your type class have references to other classes and that classes have references to your type class, thus you have to select the parameters that you need exactly in the json string, like this code.

List<ROficina> oficinas = new List<ROficina>();
oficinas = /*list content*/;
var x = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(oficinas.Select(o => new
            {
                o.IdOficina,
                o.Nombre
            }));

Answer 6

If using ASP.NET Core MVC, add this to the ConfigureServices method of your startup.cs file:

services.AddMvc()
    .AddJsonOptions(
        options => options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling =            
        Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
    );