Recursively call JsonSerializer in a JsonConverter

Question

I'm writing a JsonConverter to perform some conversion tasks I need accomplished on read/write. In particular, I'm taking the existing serialization behavior and tacking on some additional properties on write / reading those additional properties on read.

Inside the JsonConverter, I'd like to make use of the passed JsonSerializer instance to perform the majority of the conversion functionality. However, when I do this, I end up in a recursive loop where the serializer calls into my converter which calls into the serializer which calls into the converter and etc.

I've seen people do things such as use JsonConvert.SerializeObject, passing in all the converters from the serializer instance except this. However, that won't work for me because it bypasses all of the other customization I've done on my serializer, such as custom contract resolver and DateTime handling.

Is there a way I can either:

1. Use the serializer instance passed to me, but somehow exclude my converter, or
2. Clone the serializer passed to me (without manually constructing a new one and copying it property by property) and remove my converter?

Answer 1

This is a very common problem. Using "JsonConvert.SerializeObject" isn't a bad idea. However, one trick that can be used in some circumstances (typically collections) is to cast to the interface when writing and deserialize to a simple derivative when reading.

Below is a simple converter that deals with dictionaries that might have been serialized as a set of KVPs rather than looking like an object (showing my age here :) )

Note "WriteJson" casts to IDictionary< K,V> and "ReadJson" uses "DummyDictionary". You end up with the right thing but uses the passed serializer without causing recursion.

/// <summary>
/// Converts a <see cref="KeyValuePair{TKey,TValue}"/> to and from JSON.
/// </summary>
public class DictionaryAsKVPConverter<TKey, TValue> : JsonConverter
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Determines whether this instance can convert the specified object type.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="objectType">Type of the object.</param>
    /// <returns>
    ///     <c>true</c> if this instance can convert the specified object type; otherwise, <c>false</c>.
    /// </returns>
    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
    {
        if (!objectType.IsValueType && objectType.IsGenericType)
            return (objectType.GetGenericTypeDefinition() == typeof(Dictionary<,>));

        return false;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Writes the JSON representation of the object.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="writer">The <see cref="JsonWriter"/> to write to.</param>
    /// <param name="value">The value.</param>
    /// <param name="serializer">The calling serializer.</param>
    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        var dictionary = value as IDictionary<TKey, TValue>;
        serializer.Serialize(writer, dictionary);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Reads the JSON representation of the object.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="reader">The <see cref="JsonReader"/> to read from.</param>
    /// <param name="objectType">Type of the object.</param>
    /// <param name="existingValue">The existing value of object being read.</param>
    /// <param name="serializer">The calling serializer.</param>
    /// <returns>The object value.</returns>
    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        Dictionary<TKey, TValue> dictionary;

        if (reader.TokenType == JsonToken.StartArray)
        {
            dictionary = new Dictionary<TKey, TValue>();
            reader.Read();
            while (reader.TokenType == JsonToken.StartObject)
            {
                var kvp = serializer.Deserialize<KeyValuePair<TKey, TValue>>(reader);
                dictionary[kvp.Key] = kvp.Value;
                reader.Read();
            }
        }
        else if (reader.TokenType == JsonToken.StartObject)
            // Use DummyDictionary to fool JsonSerializer into not using this converter recursively
            dictionary = serializer.Deserialize<DummyDictionary>(reader);
        else
            dictionary = new Dictionary<TKey, TValue>();

        return dictionary;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Dummy to fool JsonSerializer into not using this converter recursively
    /// </summary>
    private class DummyDictionary : Dictionary<TKey, TValue> { }
}