How to map JSON to C# Objects

Question

I am having issues with understanding how to make this happen.

Basically we have an API, the user sends a JSON of the format: (excuse the code if not perfect but you understand)

{"Profile": [{     "Name":"Joe",     "Last :"Doe",     "Client":     {         "ClientId":"1",         "Product":"Apple",         "Message":"Peter likes apples"     },     "Date":"2012-02-14", }]} 

Ok I'm not sure if I got that JSON formatted correctly but now here is my issue.

I have a class called Profile with parameters Name, Last, and an object as one of its members called Client as well as property Date.

Something like this:

public class Profile   {      public string Name {get; set;}      public string Last {get; set;}      public Client client {get; set;}      public DateTime dDate {get; set;}      } 

So basically, I am not sure how to grab the JSON and then map it to my object.

Any help with "helping" me understand would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

You can use Json.NET to deserialize your json string as (with some modifications to your classes)

var yourObject =  JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Root>(jsonstring);   public class Root {     public Profile[] Profile; }  public class Profile {     public string Name { get; set; }     public string Last { get; set; }     public Client Client { get; set; }     public DateTime Date { get; set; } }  public class Client {     public int ClientId;     public string Product;     public string Message; } 

Answer 2

You can use a JSON library for this, for example Newtonsoft.Json which is free. It will map json to your types automatically.

Sample:

    public static T Deserialize<T>(string json)     {         Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializer s = new JsonSerializer();         return s.Deserialize<T>(new JsonTextReader(new StringReader(json)));     } 

There is also a NuGet package available.