Can JavaScriptSerializer exclude properties with null/default values?

Question

I\'m using JavaScriptSerializer to serialize some entity objects.

The problem is, many of the public properties contain null or default values. Is there any way to m

Answer 1

Json.NET has options to automatically exclude null or default values.

Answer 2

The solution that worked for me:

The serialized class and properties would be decorated as follows:

[DataContract]
public class MyDataClass
{
  [DataMember(Name = "LabelInJson", IsRequired = false)]
  public string MyProperty { get; set; }
}

IsRequired was the key item.

The actual serialization could be done using DataContractJsonSerializer:

public static string Serialize<T>(T obj)
{
  string returnVal = "";
  try
  {
    DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(obj.GetType());
    using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
    {
      serializer.WriteObject(ms, obj);
      returnVal = Encoding.Default.GetString(ms.ToArray());
    }
  }
  catch (Exception /*exception*/)
  {
    returnVal = "";
    //log error
  }
  return returnVal;
}

Answer 3

For the benefit of those who find this on google, note that nulls can be skipped natively during serialization with Newtonsoft.Json

var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(
            objectToSerialize,
            new JsonSerializerSettings {NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore});

Answer 4

You can implement a JavaScriptConverter and register it using the RegisterConverters method of JavaScriptSerializer.

Answer 5

FYI, if you'd like to go with the easier solution, here's what I used to accomplish this using a JavaScriptConverter implementation with the JavaScriptSerializer:

private class NullPropertiesConverter: JavaScriptConverter {
 public override object Deserialize(IDictionary<string, object> dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer) {
  throw new NotImplementedException();
 }

 public override IDictionary<string, object> Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer) {
  var jsonExample = new Dictionary<string, object >();
  foreach(var prop in obj.GetType().GetProperties()) {
   //check if decorated with ScriptIgnore attribute
   bool ignoreProp = prop.IsDefined(typeof(ScriptIgnoreAttribute), true);

   var value = prop.GetValue(obj, BindingFlags.Public, null, null, null);
   if (value != null && !ignoreProp)
    jsonExample.Add(prop.Name, value);
  }

  return jsonExample;
 }

 public override IEnumerable<Type> SupportedTypes {
  get {
   return GetType().Assembly.GetTypes();
  }
 }
}

and then to use it:

var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
serializer.RegisterConverters(new JavaScriptConverter[] {
  new NullPropertiesConverter();
});
return serializer.Serialize(someObjectToSerialize);

Answer 6

This code is block null and default(0) values for numeric types

private class NullPropertiesConverter: JavaScriptConverter {
 public override object Deserialize(IDictionary < string, object > dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer) {
  throw new NotImplementedException();
 }

 public override IDictionary < string, object > Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer) {
  var jsonExample = new Dictionary < string,
   object > ();
  foreach(var prop in obj.GetType().GetProperties()) {
   //this object is nullable 
   var nullableobj = prop.PropertyType.IsGenericType && prop.PropertyType.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == typeof(Nullable < > );
   //check if decorated with ScriptIgnore attribute
   bool ignoreProp = prop.IsDefined(typeof(ScriptIgnoreAttribute), true);

   var value = prop.GetValue(obj, System.Reflection.BindingFlags.Public, null, null, null);
   int i;
   //Object is not nullable and value=0 , it is a default value for numeric types 
   if (!(nullableobj == false && value != null && (int.TryParse(value.ToString(), out i) ? i : 1) == 0) && value != null && !ignoreProp)
    jsonExample.Add(prop.Name, value);
  }

  return jsonExample;
 }

 public override IEnumerable < Type > SupportedTypes {
  get {
   return GetType().Assembly.GetTypes();
  }
 }
}