Trying C# parse Json into Dictionary with inner arrays

Question

I am new in C# please clarify how to parse this JSON. I need to iterate over inner arrays to extract some data. JSON:

{
    "p": [{
        "p": [{
            "p": "Get in ",
            "f": [],
            "t": "t"
        },
        {
            "p": "test",
            "t": "lb",
            "id": "Make"
        },
        ....

for example need access to dictionary "{"p": "Get in ", "f": [], "t": "t"}" Do the following:

Dictionary<string, object> result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, object>>(bodyString);
List<Dictionary<string, object>> itemsArray = result["p"] as List<Dictionary<string, object>>;

foreach(var itemInfo in itemsArray)
{

}

But itemsArray is null.

First of all, look at which keys are present in your dictionary. Seconds, try this: result["p"] is List<Dictionary<string, object>>; This results in a bool, telling you whether or not this actually is a list — Foitn
– Foitn, Commented May 22, 2018 at 15:01
Use a debugger and observe what is the real type of result["p"] — Evk
– Evk, Commented May 22, 2018 at 15:12

Dan Wilson · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-22 15:12:18Z

3

If you create a model to fit the data, then you won't have to worry about issues with multiple levels of dictionary deserialization.

void Main()
{
    var json = @"{
   ""p"":[
      {
         ""p"":[
            {
               ""p"":""Get in "",
               ""f"":[

               ],
               ""t"":""t""
            },
            {
               ""p"":""test"",
               ""t"":""lb"",
               ""id"":""Make""
            }
         ]
      }
   ]
}";

    var data = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ItemCollection>(json);
}

public class ItemCollection
{
    public ItemGroup[] p { get; set; }
}

public class ItemGroup
{
    public Item[] p { get; set; }
}

public class Item
{
    public string p { get; set; }
    public string t { get; set; }
    public string id { get; set; }
    public string[] f { get; set; }
}

answered May 22, 2018 at 15:12

Dan Wilson

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Comments

Pete Kirkham · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-22 15:12:34Z

If you deserialize as a dictionary of string to object, the objects will be JArray, Jobject or JToken. { var result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject>(json);

            Console.WriteLine((result["p"]).GetType().Name);
        }

Will output 'JArray'.

You could work with JArray and so on, or specify the full structure you want:

        {
            var result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, List<Dictionary<string,List<Dictionary<string,object>>>>>>(json);

            Console.Write((result["p"]).GetType().Name);
            var itemsArray = result["p"];
            var item = result["p"][0]["p"][0];

            foreach(var entry in item)
                Console.WriteLine(entry.Key + " = " + entry.Value);
        }

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