Question Is it possible to write json in c#

[ScuffedDouleur]

I'm trying to create a c# framework and a necessity I need is the ability to write with json in C# and if I can how can I go about doing so.

 

[Skydiver]

C# doesn't have an easy way to embed JSON within the C# code. You could use non-standard JSON and use single quotes where you would normally use double quotes within the JSON. Ex.

var json = @"
{
    'myArray' : [
        { 'key' : 'value' },
        { 'key' : 'value' )
    ]
}
";

 

[Skydiver]

A quick follow-up. C# 11 now has raw string literals that simplifies embedding JSON into C# code.

Strings - C#

Learn about strings in C# programming. See information on declaring and initializing strings, the immutability of string objects, and string escape sequences.

learn.microsoft.com

 

[ScuffedDouleur]

A quick follow-up. C# 11 now has raw string literals that simplifies embedding JSON into C# code.

Strings - C#

Learn about strings in C# programming. See information on declaring and initializing strings, the immutability of string objects, and string escape sequences.

learn.microsoft.com

So your original post is invalid?

 

[Skydiver]

If you are stuck with using .NET Framework, there's no (current) way for you to use C# 11, You'll be at C# 7.3. To use C# 11, you need to be using .NET 7.x.

C# language versioning - C# Guide

Learn about how the C# language version is determined based on your project and the reasons behind that choice. Learn how to override the default manually.

learn.microsoft.com

 

[cjard]

Serialize an anonymous type?

var j = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new {
  myInt = 1,
  myString = "a",
  myObject = new {
    anotherInt = 1
  },
  myArray = new[]{ 1,2,3 },
  myObjArray = new[]{ new { a = 1}, new { a = 2 } }
});

The syntax is nearly the same as json but you get all that OO goodness, and also you get nice easy value insertion..

var j = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new {
  myObject = my.SomeMethodThatReturnsAnObject()
});

without having to have carp like:

var myObj = my.SomeMethodThatReturnsAnObject();

var j = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new {
  myObject = new { 
    a = myObj.A,
    b = myObj.Bee
  }
});

or worse:

var myObj = my.SomeMethodThatReturnsAnObject();

var j = @"{
    myObject: {  
    a: " + myObj.A + @"
    b:" + myObj.Bee + @"
  }
}";

---


You should really be handing the job of serializing off to a serializer anyway, rather than rolling your own string-baked manual json

 

[cjard]

C# doesn't have an easy way to embed JSON within the C# code

And for good reason but you could always alternatively engage in some replacement of the ' to " to make it valid again, or embed the string in something that understands strings (text file, embedded resource type thinger) to put straight json in there..

Putting it in code is a bit like going "oh, I don't store my PNGs on disk as files, I base64 them and paste them into my sourcecode!"
And there's another option; b64 it and paste it in inside a snipper that decodes it..

"Dirty hacks I want you, dirty hacks I need you (oh whoa)"

 

[Skydiver]

Serialization doesn't allow you to put in non-standard JSON comments.

 

[cjard]

Kind of expected really!

I've yet to write an API that can read comments too

 

[Skydiver]

Very true, but imagine spitting out something as complex as the Visual Code settings JSON file without comments embedded in it. The supposedly human readable JSON file becomes about as unreadable as supposedly human readable XML.

 

[cjard]

Take a look at this nice 15 megabyte OpenAPI3 spec sir...

 

[Skydiver]

Slightly tangent topic: Embedding XML into C# code.

C# doesn't have an easy way to embed JSON within the C# code.

And for good reason

And one wonders who at Microsoft came up with CAML for SharePoint (about 5 years before there was LINQ-to-XML) where one is basically forced to build XML templates for the CAML query, and just fill in the blanks. Ex.

<Query>
  <Where>
    <Geq>
      <FieldRef Name="Field Name"/>
      <Value Type="DateTime">
        <Today/>
      </Value>
    </Geq>
  </Where>
  <OrderBy>
    <FieldRef Name="Field Name"/>
  </OrderBy>
</Query>