CODEWITHSUNDEEP
arraysjsonwindows-phone-7nested
Alx
Alx

Reputation: 29

How to deserialize several nested Json arrays (more than 2) using DataContractJsonSerializer (Windows Phone 7)

I need to deserialize the next Json string that has several nested Json arrays:

{"d1":[["11791452",[["980",""]]],["11791453",[["1060",""],["1140",""],["1220",""],["1300",""]]],["11791454",[["1070",""]]]]}

I try to do it in several steps, so far I'm able to deserialize three levels of nested arrays. As follow:

{"aOaOa":[[["1060",""],["1140",""],["1220",""],["1300",""]]]}

public class ThreeSimpleNestedArrays
{
    public List<List<string[]>> aOaOa;  //array of arrays of arrays

    public ThreeSimpleNestedArrays()
    {
        aOaOa = new List<List<string[]>>();
    }
}

But the problem arise when I add the extra string in the array structure:

{"TEST": [["11791453",[["1060",""],["1140",""],["1220",""],["1300",""]]],["123456",[["0","1"],["2","3"]]]]}

public class ComplexNestedArray
{
    public List<Dictionary<string,List<string[]> >> TEST;

    public ComplexNestedArray()
    {
        TEST = new List<Dictionary<string, List<string[]>>>();
    }
}

I'm getting the next error message: "Unable to cast object of type 'System.String' to type 'System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.Object]'."

What am I missing?

Can anybody suggest a way to deserialize an object like this nested within Json arrays using DataContractJsonSerializer?

The code I use to deserialize is the next:

//Works
 DataContractJsonSerializer dcJsonSer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(ThreeSimpleNestedArrays));
        ThreeSimpleNestedArrays root = (ThreeSimpleNestedArrays)dcJsonSer.ReadObject(str);
//Don't work
        DataContractJsonSerializer dcJsonSer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(ComplexNestedArray));
        ComplexNestedArray root = (ComplexNestedArray)dcJsonSer.ReadObject(str);

Btw, I'm able to deserilize the object when it is serilized as a Json Object as follow: 

 {"TEST": [{"s": "11791453","aOa": [["1060",""],["1140",""],["1220",""],["1300",""]]},{"s": "123456","aOa":[["0","1"],["2","3"]]}]}

using a class with two members (a string "s" and a List of string[] "aOa"), but without the names, when the object is serialized as an array, I'm unable to do it.

Any suggestion?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2555

Answers (2)

Alx
Alx

Reputation: 29

Ok, it looks like the DataContractJsonSerializer is smarter than I though .

It turns out that the way to deserialize that kid of nested objects array is with a class like this:

public class ComplexNestedArray
{
    //{"TEST": [["11791453",[["1060",""],["1140",""],["1220",""],["1300",""]]],["123456",[["0","1"],["2","3"]]]]}

    public List<List<object>> TEST { get; set; }
}

After that, it is only a mater to do a couple of for cycles and casts to the appropriate class structure.

Btw, This is a MUST in your toolbox in case you have to deal with Json:

json2csharp

Upvotes: 3

rekire
rekire

Reputation: 47945

Here is my solution. However I'll try to add later a way for your full json:

class Program {
    static void Main(string[] args) {
        new Program();
    }

    public Program() {
        string full = "{\"d1\":[[\"11791452\",[[\"980\",\"\"]]],[\"11791453\",[[\"1060\",\"\"],[\"1140\",\"\"],[\"1220\",\"\"],[\"1300\",\"\"]]],[\"11791454\",[[\"1070\",\"\"]]]]}";
        string simple1 = "{\"aOa\":[[\"1060\",\"\"],[\"1140\",\"\"],[\"1220\",\"\"],[\"1300\",\"\"]]}";
        string simple2 = "{\"aOaOa\":[[[\"1060\",\"\"],[\"1140\",\"\"],[\"1220\",\"\"],[\"1300\",\"\"]]]}";

        DataContractJsonSerializer d1 = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(S1));
        S1 r1 = (S1)d1.ReadObject(new MemoryStream(Encoding.Default.GetBytes(simple1)));
        DataContractJsonSerializer d2 = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(S2));
        S2 r2 = (S2)d2.ReadObject(new MemoryStream(Encoding.Default.GetBytes(simple2)));
        Console.WriteLine("done");
        Console.ReadKey();
    }

    [DataContract]
    class S1 {
        [DataMember]
        List<List<String>> aOa;
    }

    [DataContract]
    class S2 {
        [DataMember]
        List<List<List<string>>> aOaOa;
    }
}

Upvotes: 0

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