C# JSON String Deserialization

Question

I am really struggling to find any examples of JSON Deserialization in C# where the first property in each JSON item is a different ID.

    {
       \"121120         


        

Answer 1

Using System.Web, I have a little method that seems to make its way into every project that uses JSON for data storage:

private T UnpackJson<T>(object data)
{
    var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
    string rawJSON = serializer.Serialize(data);

    var result = serializer.Deserialize<T>(rawJSON);
    return result;
}

...Where T is some type with elements that match the schema that you are deserializing. For your blob that is given in the top, I'd suggest something like:

// Using my above method...
var x = UnpackJson<Foo[]>(blob);

public class Foo
{
    public string ID;
    public Bar SubItem;
}

public class Bar
{
    public int Topic_ID;
    public int Subject_ID;
    public string subject; 
}

...Note that your variables names should totally match the names of attributes in the JSON blob! I certainly hope this works (note that while I use the method and know for certain that it will deserialize a blob to a class, this implementation is untested.)

Answer 2

Using Json.Net

(The JSON posted is invalid. The following works after replacing invalid \u005C"s with \u005C.)

string json = @"{""12112083"":{""Topic_ID"":""12112083"",""Moved_ID"":""51"",""subject"":""Due to a computer virus, many of my files are \u005CCrypted\u005C,espe"",""Start_date"":""10/6/2012 6:54:37 PM"",""InitialResponseDueDate"":""10/6/2012 7:01:37 PM"",""Locked"":""0"",""QValue"":""$10"",""Status"":""1"",""Author_ID"":""71318191"",""Question_Text"":""Due to a computer virus, many of my files are \u005CCrypted\u005C,especially my pictures.  Now my FinepixA500 camera will not upload photos to my computer (laptop).  Geek Squad could not crack the code and suggested that I contact Toshiba and have them reset the computer to its original manufacturer settings.  If I do that, I will lose all of my data.  The only thing that appears not to be working is \u005Cphoto gallery\u005C. (therefore, my camera will not upload photos anymore.....) Any suggestions?"",""Username"":""JACUSTOMER-iei7o0tr-"",""No_of_Questions"":""0"",""No_of_Accepts"":""0"",""Last_visit"":""10/6/2012 7:22:18 PM"",""Join_Date"":""10/6/2012 6:46:29 PM"",""lastExpert"":"""",""IsPress"":""False"",""hasCustomerOptOuts"":""0"",""RecCount"":""0"",""OptedOut"":"""",""Urgency"":""51"",""AuthorHasSubscription"":""False"",""Relisted"":""0"",""IsAbandoned"":""False"",""categoryName"":""Camera and Video"",""categoryName_Additional"":""Laptop"",""QuestionCommissionHasAdjusted"":""False"",""LockedBy"":""-1"",""IsOnline"":""False"",""QuestionLink"":""/video-camera-repair/77lqr-due-computer-virus-files-crypted-espe.html"",""WaitingForYou"":""False"",""RequestedForYou"":""False"",""IsChatEnabled"":""False"",""ChangedKeyList"":"""",""DeltaType"":""A""},""12111966"":{""Topic_ID"":""12111966"",""Moved_ID"":""51"",""subject"":""office/outlook for mac 2011 keeps hanging upMicrosoft Error"",""Start_date"":""10/6/2012 6:25:06 PM"",""InitialResponseDueDate"":""10/6/2012 7:25:06 PM"",""Locked"":""0"",""QValue"":""$19"",""Status"":""1"",""Author_ID"":""71317792"",""Question_Text"":""office/outlook for mac 2011 keeps hanging upMicrosoft Error Reporting log version: 2.0<br/><br/>Error Signature:<br/>Exception: EXC_CRASH (SIGTRAP)<br/>Date/Time: 2012-10-06 17:59:38 +0000<br/>Application Name: Microsoft Outlook<br/>Application Bundle ID: com.microsoft.Outlook<br/>Application Signature: OPIM<br/>Application Version: 14.2.4.120824<br/>Crashed Module Name: merp<br/>Crashed Module Version: 2.2.4.120824<br/>Crashed Module Offset: 0x00003aa2<br/>Blame Module Name: Microsoft Outlook<br/>Blame Module Version: 14.2.4.120824<br/>Blame Module Offset: 0x003c900c<br/>Application LCID: 1033<br/>Extra app info: Reg=en Loc=0x0409<br/>Crashed thread: 10"",""Username"":""JACUSTOMER-wr0d1qwb-"",""No_of_Questions"":""0"",""No_of_Accepts"":""0"",""Last_visit"":""10/6/2012 6:54:53 PM"",""Join_Date"":""10/6/2012 6:25:00 PM"",""lastExpert"":"""",""IsPress"":""False"",""hasCustomerOptOuts"":""0"",""RecCount"":""0"",""OptedOut"":"""",""Urgency"":""51"",""AuthorHasSubscription"":""False"",""Relisted"":""0"",""IsAbandoned"":""False"",""categoryName"":""Microsoft Office"",""categoryName_Additional"":"""",""QuestionCommissionHasAdjusted"":""False"",""LockedBy"":""-1"",""IsOnline"":""False"",""QuestionLink"":""/microsoft-office/77lni-office-outlook-mac-2011-keeps-hanging-upmicrosoft-error.html"",""WaitingForYou"":""False"",""RequestedForYou"":""False"",""IsChatEnabled"":""True"",""ChangedKeyList"":"""",""DeltaType"":""A""},""12106917"":{""Topic_ID"":""12106917"",""Moved_ID"":""0"",""subject"":""test"",""Start_date"":""10/5/2012 6:22:42 PM"",""InitialResponseDueDate"":""10/5/2012 6:40:42 PM"",""Locked"":""0"",""QValue"":""$21"",""Status"":""1"",""Author_ID"":""69617617"",""Question_Text"":""test"",""Username"":""JACUSTOMER-dwbsyao6-"",""No_of_Questions"":""4"",""No_of_Accepts"":""1"",""Last_visit"":""10/6/2012 11:12:19 AM"",""Join_Date"":""7/16/2012 12:59:47 PM"",""lastExpert"":"""",""IsPress"":""False"",""hasCustomerOptOuts"":""0"",""RecCount"":""0"",""OptedOut"":"""",""Urgency"":""0"",""AuthorHasSubscription"":""True"",""Relisted"":""0"",""IsAbandoned"":""False"",""categoryName"":""Computer"",""categoryName_Additional"":"""",""QuestionCommissionHasAdjusted"":""True"",""LockedBy"":""-1"",""IsOnline"":""True"",""QuestionLink"":""/computer/77hr9-test.html"",""WaitingForYou"":""False"",""RequestedForYou"":""False"",""IsChatEnabled"":""True"",""ChangedKeyList"":"""",""DeltaType"":""A""}}";

var jobj = (JObject)JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(json);
var items = jobj.Children()
    .Cast<JProperty>()
    .Select(j=>new
    {
        ID=j.Name,
        Topic = (string)j.Value["Topic_ID"],
        Moved = (string)j.Value["Moved_ID"],
        Subject = (string)j.Value["subject"],
    })
    .ToList();

Answer 3

Use JSON.NET - free JSON parser/serializer for .NET.