C# || How To Serialize & Deserialize JSON Using C#
The following is a module with functions which demonstrates how to serialize and deserialize Json using C#.
The following generic functions use Newtonsoft.Json to serialize and deserialize an object.
Note: To use the functions in this module, make sure you have the ‘Newtonsoft.Json‘ package installed in your project.
One way to do this is, in your Solution Explorer (where all the files are shown with your project), right click the ‘References‘ folder, click ‘Manage NuGet Packages….‘, then type ‘Newtonsoft.Json‘ in the search box, and install the package titled Newtonsoft.Json in the results Tab.
Note: Don’t forget to include the ‘Utils Namespace‘ before running the examples!
1. Serialize – Integer Array
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Serialize‘ to serialize an integer array to Json.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Serialize - Integer Array // Declare array of integers var numbers = new int[] { 1987, 19, 22, 2009, 2019, 1991, 28, 31 }; // Optional: Create the JsonSerializerSettings with optional settings. var settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings() { NullValueHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.NullValueHandling.Ignore }; // Serialize to Json var numbersJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(numbers); // Display Json Console.WriteLine(numbersJson); // expected output: /* [ 1987, 19, 22, 2009, 2019, 1991, 28, 31 ] */ |
2. Serialize – String List
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Serialize‘ to serialize a list of strings to Json.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Serialize - String List // Declare list of strings var names = new List<string>() { "Kenneth", "Jennifer", "Lynn", "Sole" }; // Serialize to Json var namesJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(names); // Display Json Console.WriteLine(namesJson); // expected output: /* [ "Kenneth", "Jennifer", "Lynn", "Sole" ] */ |
3. Serialize – Custom Object List
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Serialize‘ to serialize a list of custom objects to Json.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Serialize - Custom Object List public class Part { public string PartName { get; set; } public int PartId { get; set; } } // Declare list of objects var parts = new List<Part>() { new Part() { PartName = "crank arm", PartId = 1234 }, new Part() { PartName = "chain ring", PartId = 1334 }, new Part() { PartName = "regular seat", PartId = 1434 }, new Part() { PartName = "banana seat", PartId = 1444 }, new Part() { PartName = "cassette", PartId = 1534 }, new Part() { PartName = "shift lever", PartId = 1634 } }; // Serialize to Json var partsJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(parts); // Display Json Console.WriteLine(partsJson); // expected output: /* [ { "PartName": "crank arm", "PartId": 1234 }, { "PartName": "chain ring", "PartId": 1334 }, { "PartName": "regular seat", "PartId": 1434 }, { "PartName": "banana seat", "PartId": 1444 }, { "PartName": "cassette", "PartId": 1534 }, { "PartName": "shift lever", "PartId": 1634 } ] */ |
4. Deserialize – Integer Array
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Deserialize‘ to deserialize Json to an integer array.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Deserialize - Integer Array // Declare Json array of integers var numbersJson = @" [ 1987, 19, 22, 2009, 2019, 1991, 28, 31 ] "; // Optional: Create the JsonSerializerSettings with optional settings. var settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings() { NullValueHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.NullValueHandling.Ignore }; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var numbers = Utils.Json.Deserialize<int[]>(numbersJson); // Display the items foreach (var item in numbers) { Console.WriteLine($"{item}"); } // expected output: /* 1987 19 22 2009 2019 1991 28 31 */ |
5. Deserialize – String List
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Deserialize‘ to deserialize Json to a list of strings.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Deserialize - String List // Declare Json array of strings var namesJson = @" [ ""Kenneth"", ""Jennifer"", ""Lynn"", ""Sole"" ] "; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var names = Utils.Json.Deserialize<List<string>>(namesJson); // Display the items foreach (var item in names) { Console.WriteLine($"{item}"); } // expected output: /* Kenneth Jennifer Lynn Sole */ |
6. Deserialize – Custom Object List
The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Json.Deserialize‘ to deserialize Json to a list of objects.
The optional function parameter allows you to specify the Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings.
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// Deserialize - Custom Object List public class Part { public string PartName { get; set; } public int PartId { get; set; } } // Declare Json array of objects var partsJson = @" [ { ""PartName"": ""crank arm"", ""PartId"": 1234 }, { ""PartName"": ""chain ring"", ""PartId"": 1334 }, { ""PartName"": ""regular seat"", ""PartId"": 1434 }, { ""PartName"": ""banana seat"", ""PartId"": 1444 }, { ""PartName"": ""cassette"", ""PartId"": 1534 }, { ""PartName"": ""shift lever"", ""PartId"": 1634 } ] "; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var parts = Utils.Json.Deserialize<List<Part>>(partsJson); // Display the items foreach (var item in parts) { Console.WriteLine($"{item.PartId} - {item.PartName}"); } // expected output: /* 1234 - crank arm 1334 - chain ring 1434 - regular seat 1444 - banana seat 1534 - cassette 1634 - shift lever */ |
7. Utils Namespace
The following is the Utils Namespace. Include this in your project to start using!
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// ============================================================================ // Author: Kenneth Perkins // Date: May 10, 2021 // Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/ // File: Utils.cs // Description: Handles general utility functions // ============================================================================ using System; namespace Utils { public static class Json { /// <summary> /// Serializes the specified value to Json /// </summary> /// <param name="value">The value to serialize</param> /// <param name="settings">The Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings used to serialize the object</param> /// <returns>The value serialized to Json</returns> public static string Serialize(object value , Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings settings = null) { if (settings == null) { settings = GetDefaultSettings(); } return Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(value, settings); } /// <summary> /// Deserializes the specified value from Json to Object T /// </summary> /// <param name="value">The value to deserialize</param> /// <param name="settings">The Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings used to deserialize the object</param> /// <returns>The value deserialized to Object T</returns> public static T Deserialize<T>(string value , Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings settings = null) { if (settings == null) { settings = GetDefaultSettings(); } return Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(value, settings); } private static Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings GetDefaultSettings() { var settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings() { Formatting = Newtonsoft.Json.Formatting.Indented }; return settings; } } }// http://programmingnotes.org/ |
8. More Examples
Below are more examples demonstrating the use of the ‘Utils‘ Namespace. Don’t forget to include the module when running the examples!
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// ============================================================================ // Author: Kenneth Perkins // Date: May 10, 2021 // Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/ // File: Program.cs // Description: The following demonstrates the use of the Utils Namespace // ============================================================================ using System; using System.Diagnostics; using System.Collections.Generic; public class Program { public class Part { public string PartName { get; set; } public int PartId { get; set; } } static void Main(string[] args) { try { // Declare array of integers var numbers = new int[] { 1987, 19, 22, 2009, 2019, 1991, 28, 31 }; // Optional: Create the JsonSerializerSettings with optional settings. var settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings() { NullValueHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.NullValueHandling.Ignore }; // Serialize to Json var numbersJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(numbers); // Display Json Display(numbersJson); Display(""); // Declare list of strings var names = new List<string>() { "Kenneth", "Jennifer", "Lynn", "Sole" }; // Serialize to Json var namesJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(names); // Display Json Display(namesJson); Display(""); // Declare list of objects var parts = new List<Part>() { new Part() { PartName = "crank arm", PartId = 1234 }, new Part() { PartName = "chain ring", PartId = 1334 }, new Part() { PartName = "regular seat", PartId = 1434 }, new Part() { PartName = "banana seat", PartId = 1444 }, new Part() { PartName = "cassette", PartId = 1534 }, new Part() { PartName = "shift lever", PartId = 1634 } }; // Serialize to Json var partsJson = Utils.Json.Serialize(parts); // Display Json Display(partsJson); Display(""); // Declare Json array of integers var numbersJsonTest = @" [ 1987, 19, 22, 2009, 2019, 1991, 28, 31 ] "; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var numbersTest = Utils.Json.Deserialize<int[]>(numbersJsonTest); // Display the items foreach (var item in numbersTest) { Display($"{item}"); } Display(""); // Declare Json array of strings var namesJsonTest = @" [ ""Kenneth"", ""Jennifer"", ""Lynn"", ""Sole"" ] "; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var namesTest = Utils.Json.Deserialize<List<string>>(namesJsonTest); // Display the items foreach (var item in namesTest) { Display($"{item}"); } Display(""); // Declare Json array of objects var partsJsonTest = @" [ { ""PartName"": ""crank arm"", ""PartId"": 1234 }, { ""PartName"": ""chain ring"", ""PartId"": 1334 }, { ""PartName"": ""regular seat"", ""PartId"": 1434 }, { ""PartName"": ""banana seat"", ""PartId"": 1444 }, { ""PartName"": ""cassette"", ""PartId"": 1534 }, { ""PartName"": ""shift lever"", ""PartId"": 1634 } ] "; // Deserialize from Json to specified type var partsTest = Utils.Json.Deserialize<List<Part>>(partsJsonTest); // Display the items foreach (var item in partsTest) { Display($"{item.PartId} - {item.PartName}"); } } catch (Exception ex) { Display(ex.ToString()); } finally { Console.ReadLine(); } } static void Display(string message) { Console.WriteLine(message); Debug.Print(message); } }// http://programmingnotes.org/ |
QUICK NOTES:
The highlighted lines are sections of interest to look out for.
The code is heavily commented, so no further insight is necessary. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
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