Json.Net serialise collection into named attributes

Question

I am creating a Xamarin app with API calls managed by Refit and other Paul Betts libraries and was looking at serialising a collection of objects into a Json attributed array.

The question I have is how do I serialise the collection of MemberSlot objects in the MemberBooking type, using Json.Net, into the desired Json?

The names of the objects will always be numbers 1 -> 4 but some or all may not be present.

Question

Could I just change the List property in the MemberBooking object to a Dictionary and populate the string key appropriately?

Object heirarchy

public class MemberBookingRequest
{
    [JsonProperty("member_booking_request")]
    public MemberBooking Booking { get; set; }
}

public class MemberBooking
{
    [JsonProperty("course_id")]
    public int CourseId { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("date")]
    public string TeeDate { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("time")]
    public string TeeTime { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("slots")]
    public List<MemberSlot> Slots { get; set; }
}

public class MemberSlot
{
    [JsonIgnore]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("type")]
    public BookingType Type { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("holes")]
    public int Holes { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("user_id")]
    public int MemberId { get; set; }
}

Current Json

{  
   "member_booking_request":{  
      "course_id":1,
      "date":"2016-09-29",
      "time":"09:00",
      "slots":[  
         {  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":110
         },
         {  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":111
         },
         {  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":112
         },
         {  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":117
         ]
      }
   }
}

Desired Json

{  
   "member_booking_request":{  
      "course_id":1,
      "date":"2016-09-29",
      "time":"09:00",
      "slots":{  
         "1":{  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":110
         },
         "2":{  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":111
         },
         "3":{  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":112
         },
         "4":{  
            "type":"Member",
            "holes":18,
            "user_id":117
         }
      }
   }
}

You show 'desired json' but it'd be even better if you show 'current json' too ! — aybe, Oct 10 '16 at 15:32

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 10 '16 at 15:38

You'll have to change the way you create Slots property. Assign MemberSlot.Id as key, MemberSlot itself as value when filling Slots dictionary.

public class MemberBooking
    {
        [JsonProperty("course_id")]
        public int CourseId { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("date")]
        public string TeeDate { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("time")]
        public string TeeTime { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("slots")]
        public Dictionary<int,MemberSlot> Slots { get; set; }
    }

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 10 '16 at 16:43

This sample will give the your desired json output,using a dictionary

    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Linq;
    using System.Text;
    using System.Threading.Tasks;
    using Newtonsoft.Json;

    namespace jsonconversion
    {
    public class Program
    {

        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Dictionary<int,MemberSlot> slots=new Dictionary<int, MemberSlot>();
            MemberSlot slot1 = new MemberSlot() {Id = 1, Holes =2, MemberId =     1};
            slots.Add(1,slot1);
            MemberBookingRequest mbr = new MemberBookingRequest
            {
                Booking = new MemberBooking()
                    {CourseId = 1, TeeDate ="",TeeTime = "",Slots = slots}
            };
            string jd = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(mbr);
            Console.WriteLine(jd);
        }
    }



    public class MemberBookingRequest
    {
        [JsonProperty("member_booking_request")]
        public MemberBooking Booking { get; set; }
    }

    public class MemberBooking
    {
        [JsonProperty("course_id")]
        public int CourseId { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("date")]
        public string TeeDate { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("time")]
        public string TeeTime { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("slots")]
        public Dictionary<int, MemberSlot> Slots { get; set; }
    }

    public class MemberSlot
    {
        [JsonIgnore]
        public int Id { get; set; }


        [JsonProperty("holes")]
        public int Holes { get; set; }

        [JsonProperty("user_id")]
        public int MemberId { get; set; }
    }
}

Json.Net serialise collection into named attributes

2 Answers2