Serialize a Dictionary as JSON object using DataContractJsonSerializer

Question

I have an [DataContract] object that has some properties and is serialized to JSON using DataContractJsonSerializer.

One of the properties is of type Dictionary<string, string> and when the serialization happens it produces the following JSON schema.

"extra_data": [
  {
    "Key": "aKey",
    "Value": "aValue"
  }
]

Now I need the JSON schema to be like this

"extra_data": { 
        "aKey": "aValue"
}

You can never of course know before what the values are, it is a Dictionary that the user will set keys and values.

I'm thinking if this can happen using anonymous types, or is there a configuration I can take to accomplish my goal?

Thank you.

Duplicate of stackoverflow.com/questions/4547550/…

Konrad Kokosa
– Konrad Kokosa

2013-12-13 09:36:44 +00:00
Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 9:36 — Konrad Kokosa
– Konrad Kokosa, Commented Dec 13, 2013 at 9:36

Jevgenij Nekrasov · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-13 09:45:52Z

3

Ok, let say you have:

[DataContract]
public class MyObject
{
    [DataMember(Name = "extra_data")]
    public Dictionary<string, string> MyDictionary { get; set; } 

}

Then you can use DataContractJsonSerializerSettings with UseSimpleDictionaryFormat set to true, something like this:

    var myObject = new MyObject { MyDictionary = new Dictionary<string, string> { { "key1", "value1" }, { "key2", "value2" } } };

    DataContractJsonSerializerSettings settings = new DataContractJsonSerializerSettings { UseSimpleDictionaryFormat = true };

    DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(MyObject), settings);

    var result = string.Empty;

    using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
    {
        serializer.WriteObject(ms, myObject);

        result = Encoding.Default.GetString(ms.ToArray());
    }

answered Dec 13, 2013 at 9:45

Jevgenij Nekrasov

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5 Comments

xplat Over a year ago

Worked perfect and simple. Thank you.

xplat Over a year ago

For Windows Phone 8 I used the Newtonsoft JSON serializer Nuget package. james.newtonking.com/json

Ted Over a year ago

I dont have DataContractJsonSerializerSettings at all (running .NET 4.5), it just doest exist.

flayn Over a year ago

Hi, where can I replace the "normal" serializer with this serializier when I am create the service host in code?

Isuru Madusanka Over a year ago

DataContractJsonSerializerSettings is not available in .NET 4.0

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