JSON.NET: Serialize json string property into json object

Question

Is it possible to tell JSON.NET I have a string with JSON data? E.g. I have a class like this:

public class Foo
{
    public int Id;
    public string RawDat         


        

Answer 1

You need a converter to do that, here is an example:

public class RawJsonConverter : JsonConverter
{
   public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
   {
       writer.WriteRawValue(value.ToString());
   }

   public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
   {
       throw new NotImplementedException();
   }

   public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
   {
       return typeof(string).IsAssignableFrom(objectType);
   }

   public override bool CanRead
   {
       get { return false; }
   }   
}

Then decorate your class with it:

public class Foo
{
    public int Id;
    [JsonConverter(typeof(RawJsonConverter))]
    public string RawData;
}

Then, when you use:

var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(foo,
                                    new JsonSerializerSettings());
Console.WriteLine (json);

This is your output:

{"Id":5,"RawData":{"bar":42}}

Hope it helps

Edit: I have updated my answer for a more efficient solution, the previous one forced you to serialize to then deserialize, this doesn't.

Answer 2

You can use another property to deserialize the object property json.

public class Foo
{
    public int Id;
    public string RawData;
    private object thisObject;
    public object ThisObject 
    {
        get
        {
            return thisObject ?? (thisObject = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<object>(RawData));
        }
    }        
}

Answer 3

It is possible, that using JRaw could be more sutable and comapct solution

see this post