Convert C# Object to Json Object

Question

I am trying to serialize a C# object into a Json object. That will then be submitted to the Salesforce API, and create an application. Right now I have the C# object serialized into a Json string, but I need it to be an object.

Here is my C# object along with accompany serialization.

Customer application = new Customer { 
    ProductDescription = "gors_descr " + tbDescription.Text, 
    Fname = "b_name_first " + tbFName.Text, 
    Lname = "b_name_last " + tbLName.Text
};

var json = new System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer();
string jsonString = json.Serialize(application);

string endPoint = token.instance_url + "/services/apexrest/submitApplication/";    
string response = conn.HttpPost(endPoint, json, token);
Literal rLiteral = this.FindControl("resultLiteral") as Literal;

I need the JSON string to output inside of a JSON Object. An example of what I need is below:

"{ \"jsonCreditApplication\" : " +
    "\"gors_descr\" : \"Appliances\", " +
    "\"b_name_first\" : \"Marisol\", " +
    "\"b_name_last\" : \"Testcase\", " +
"}"; 

This hard coded json string is inside of an object. As it stands, the values in the C# object are being outputted into a JSON string, but I'm needing it output into an object so that the Salesforce API will accept the submission.

How can I append or insert the JSON string into an object?

Answer 1

To create correct JSON first you need to prepare appropriate model. It can be something like that:

[DataContract]
public class Customer
{
    [DataMember(Name = "gors_descr")]
    public string ProductDescription { get; set; }

    [DataMember(Name = "b_name_first")]
    public string Fname { get; set; }

    [DataMember(Name = "b_name_last")]
    public string Lname { get; set; }
}

To be able to use Data attributes you will need to choose some other JSON serializer. For example DataContractJsonSerializer or Json.NET(I will use it in this example).

Customer customer = new Customer
{
    ProductDescription = tbDescription.Text,
    Fname = tbFName.Text,
    Lname = tbLName.Text
};


string creditApplicationJson = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(
    new
    {
        jsonCreditApplication = customer
    });

So jsonCreditApplication variable will be:

{
  "jsonCreditApplication": {
    "gors_descr": "Appliances",
    "b_name_first": "Marisol",
    "b_name_last": "Testcase"
  }
}

Answer 2

using System; 
using Newtonsoft.Json; 
using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;

CurrentUTCDateTime yourObject = new CurrentUTCDateTime(); 
JObject json = JObject.Parse(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(yourObject));

Answer 3

Another way.

using System;
using Newtonsoft.Json;

namespace MyNamepace
{
    public class MyCustomObject
    {
        public MyCustomObject()
        {
        }

        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "my_int_one")]
        public int MyIntOne { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "my_bool_one")]
        public bool MyBoolOne { get; set; }

    }
}

and

        /* using Newtonsoft.Json; */

        MyCustomObject myobj = MyCustomObject();
        myobj.MyIntOne = 123;
        myobj.MyBoolOne = false;

        string jsonString = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(
            myobj,
            Formatting.None,
            new JsonSerializerSettings()
            {
                ReferenceLoopHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore
            });

see

http://www.newtonsoft.com/json/help/html/T_Newtonsoft_Json_JsonSerializerSettings.htm

My packages.config at the time of writing...though I'm sure future/latest versions will still support it:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
  <package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="6.0.8" targetFramework="net45" />
</packages>

Answer 4

Install Newtonsoft.Json NuGet then decorate Customer class with the requires naming decorations to tell Json serializer how to serialize the customer class fields:

public class Customer
{
    [JsonProperty("gors_descr")]
    public string ProductDescription;
    [JsonProperty("b_name_first")]
    public string Fname;
    [JsonProperty("b_name_last")]
    public string Lname;
}

Next, serialize the object like this:

Customer application = new Customer
        {
            ProductDescription = "Appliances ",
            Fname = "Marisol ",
            Lname = "Testcase "

        };
        var JsonOutput = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new { jsonCreditApplication = application });

You will get the desired result and the value of JsonOutput will be : "{\"jsonCreditApplication\":{\"gors_descr\":\"Appliances \",\"b_name_first\":\"Marisol \",\"b_name_last\":\"Testcase \"}}"

There are many ways to do this but I believe that this one is the simplest solution.

Answer 5

You could use something like http://restsharp.org/, which is a c# library for REST. If so, it has a built in serializer for json objects (.addJsonBody()) or you can serialize it yourself and add with

    request.AddParameter("application/json; charset=utf-8", json, ParameterType.RequestBody);

Alternatively if you want more control over it you can use

    System.Net.HttpWebRequest()

I've also found https://github.com/ademargomes/JsonRequest, but it's still in development. Be warned that if you use something like RestSharp, it is a canned request so any variation from what they have created as the standard requests (e.g. multipart/form data w/ json or custom headers or even custom authentication) may not work with their library, in which case it's probably better to make your own using HttpWebRequest anyway. Hope that helps!