Unexpected token error when using Json.NET

Question

I am following the official example of parsing JSON with .NET.

I created a products.json file:

{
    "Name": "Apple",
    "Expiry": new Date(1230422400000),
    "Price": 3.99,
    "Sizes": [
        "Small",
        "Medium",
        "Large"
    ]
}

to read it into a string and then deserialize it. I am trying to parse it as follows:

Product deserializedProduct;

string jsonObj = File.ReadAllText(@"..\..\Content\products.json");
if (jsonObj != null) 
{
    try
    {
        deserializedProduct = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Product>(jsonObj);
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        //log exception;
    }
}

I get the following exception:

Error reading date. Unexpected token: StartConstructor. Path 'Expiry', line 3, position 24.

I know JSON doesn't allow date objects, but why does the example use the new Date(1230422400000) for representing a date object.

Lloyd · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-11 11:30:34Z

4

You need to pass in a converter. Try something like this:

deserializedProduct = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Product>(jsonObj, new JavaScriptDateTimeConverter());

As to why, it could be an old example, Json.NET used to use the old Date object before using the more formal way (IIRC). However it can both serialize and deserialize still if you tell it how to handle it.

edited Jan 11, 2013 at 11:30

answered Jan 11, 2013 at 11:10

Lloyd

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2 Comments

Animesh D Over a year ago

Thank you. This worked. I just had to include Newtonsoft.Json.Converters namespace.

Lloyd Over a year ago

Ahh sweet I'll keep that in mind. I guess it defaults to all converters :)

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