C# JsonResult with JObject element returns empty array

Question

I am trying to return a JSON result from a REST API that includes a JsonObject as an element.

var aJsonObject = new JObject();
aJsonObject.Add("somefield", "somevalue" );
aJsonObject.Add("someotherfield", 1995);

return Json( new { status = "success", result = aJsonObject } );

The client receives an empty nested arrays:

{"status":"success","result":[[[]],[[]]]}

My work around, which I don't love, is to serialize the JsonObject, thus sending it as a string and then having the client parse it. It works, but it's a bit ugly.

Is this a bug or am I doing it wrong?

NOTE: 8/3/18 I edited the variable declaration to correct a typo - it was jsonObject and should have been aJsonObject

Your example you gave, and your result, don't match up at all. — Blue
– Blue, Commented Aug 2, 2018 at 22:13
Why are you declaring jsonObject but populating and returning aJsonObject? Are you simply mixing up your variables? — Dan Wilson
– Dan Wilson, Commented Aug 2, 2018 at 22:33
@ozum.e I need it to be dynamic - I won't know the fields I am adding to the object until run time so I cannot declare a class to make an POCO from. — Daniel C
– Daniel C, Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 18:53
@DanWilson Sorry - that was typo... I renamed objects and variables for the purpose of posting the question to avoid publishing real code. I corrected the post and made a note that I edited it. — Daniel C
– Daniel C, Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 18:54

ozum.e · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-02 22:27:59Z

5

JObject is already json-formatted. Main purpose of JsonResult is to serialize an object to json. What you are trying to do is (I guess):

dynamic resultObject = new ExpandoObject();
resultObject.somefield = "somevalue";
resultObject.someotherfield = 1995;

return Json( new { status = "success", result = resultObject } );

If you want to build the Json string yourself and return it to the client you can use Content:

return new Content(yourjsonstring, "application/json");

edited Aug 2, 2018 at 22:27

answered Aug 2, 2018 at 22:21

ozum.e

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2 Comments

lg1382 Over a year ago

In my case, the object to serialize to Json, contains a property that has a type of JObject. When this happens, return Json(myObject) will blank out that property's json value and return the empty array like Daniel C showed in his original post - where it should just pass it on in my opinion. The other non-json properties serialize just fine. Feels like a bug to me.

Neville Bamshoot Over a year ago

Ig1382, how did you solve what you describe? I'm having the same issue...help!

Flydog57 · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-03 00:19:58Z

2

And if you want to keep using JObject, this works (and then return the JSON as @ozum.e describes):

var jObject = new JObject();
jObject.Add("someField", "someValue");
jObject.Add("otherField", 1995);
var newObj = new { status = "success", result = jObject };
var returnThis = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(newObj);

answered Aug 3, 2018 at 0:19

Flydog57

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Comments

regisbsb · Accepted Answer · 2024-04-10 17:45:16Z

0

You need to cast. It's because JObject is not compatible with the serializer used. But hours of struggle you can get MVC JsonResult serialize aJsonObject.ToObject<Dictionary<string, object>>() if it is a JObject and if it's a JArray you need aJsonObject.ToObject<List<Dictionary<string, object>>>()

answered Apr 10, 2024 at 17:45

regisbsb

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