Web API post deserializing json result but all properties null

Question

I've been scratching my head on this one for a few days now.

Using the angular $http service I'm posting back to an api controller passing the Movie json object. And while the correct action is hit, all of the models properties, primitives and complex, are null or default. I've used the JsonProperty attribute because the json objects properties have different names than the c# model that I need to deserialize to. I've also tried using DataContract, being sure to set UseDataContractJsonSerializer to true on app start, but that had no effect also.

I should also note that I'm using web api 2.2.

Simplified Model:

public class Movie {

    [DatabaseGenerated(DatabaseGeneratedOption.None)]
    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "id")]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "title")]
    public string Title { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "year")]
    public int Year { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "release_dates")]
    public ReleaseDates ReleaseDates { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "ratings")]
    public Ratings Ratings { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "abridged_cast")]
    public ICollection<Character> Cast { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "users")]
    public ICollection<User> Users { get; set; }
}

Action:

public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Post(Movie movie) {
    // do stuff
}

Call from the client (in debug I can see that the movie js object is hydrated with the proper data):

$http.post('/api/usermovies', { movie : movie });

This is the content in the request being sent from angular:

{
    "movie" : {
        "id" : "12897",
        "title" : "The Matrix",
        "year" : 1999,
        "release_dates" : {
            "theater" : "1999-03-31",
            "dvd" : "1999-09-21"
        },
        "ratings" : {
            "critics_rating" : "Certified Fresh",
            "critics_score" : 87,
            "audience_rating" : "Upright",
            "audience_score" : 85
        },
        "abridged_cast" : [{
                "name" : "Keanu Reeves",
                "id" : "162654049",
                "characters" : ["Neo"]
            }, {
                "name" : "Laurence Fishburne",
                "id" : "162669090",
                "characters" : ["Morpheus"]
            }, {
                "name" : "Carrie-Anne Moss",
                "id" : "162669130",
                "characters" : ["Trinity"]
            }, {
                "name" : "Hugo Weaving",
                "id" : "162709905",
                "characters" : ["Agent Smith"]
            }, {
                "name" : "Gloria Foster",
                "id" : "364627698",
                "characters" : ["The Oracle"]
            }
        ],
        "$$hashKey" : "00C"
    }
}

Tracing doesn't really turn up anything. The modelBinder seems to be properly associating the json with the correct model...

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Request, Method=POST, Url=http://www.moovy.com/api/usermovies, Message='http://www.moovy.com/api/usermovies'

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='UserMovies', Operation=DefaultHttpControllerSelector.SelectController

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Moovy.Api.Controllers.UserMoviesController', Operation=DefaultHttpControllerActivator.Create

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Moovy.Api.Controllers.UserMoviesController', Operation=HttpControllerDescriptor.CreateController

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Selected action 'Post(Movie movie)'', Operation=ApiControllerActionSelector.SelectAction

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Value read='Moovy.Models.Movie'', Operation=JsonMediaTypeFormatter.ReadFromStreamAsync

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Parameter 'movie' bound to the value 'Moovy.Models.Movie'', Operation=FormatterParameterBinding.ExecuteBindingAsync

w3wp.exe Information: 0 : Message='Model state is valid. Values: movie=Moovy.Models.Movie', Operation=HttpActionBinding.ExecuteBindingAsync

What to do, what to do?

Good question, lots of detail. Probably helped yourself by doing all that work to write a good question. — Michael Blackburn
– Michael Blackburn, Commented Apr 20, 2016 at 15:13
How did you get that trace? I would love to see how my webapi controller is deserializing a model I'm passing in! — seebiscuit
– seebiscuit, Commented Feb 21, 2017 at 0:29

bflemi3 · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-19 03:00:31Z

2

I figured it out. This was because of a mistake in how I was passing the movie object in the request.

This...

$http.post('/api/usermovies', { movie : movie });

Should be changed to this...

$http.post('/api/usermovies', movie);

Deserialization from the json object with differing property names into the Movie object is working perfectly after that change.

answered Jul 19, 2014 at 3:00

bflemi3

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Comments

fuzzybear · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-18 17:14:49Z

0

Your class should be like this, in VS edit paste special , Paste Json as classes

public class Rootobject
{
public Movie movie { get; set; }
}

public class Movie
{
public string id { get; set; }
public string title { get; set; }
public int year { get; set; }
public Release_Dates release_dates { get; set; }
public Ratings ratings { get; set; }
public Abridged_Cast[] abridged_cast { get; set; }
public string hashKey { get; set; }
}

public class Release_Dates
{
public string theater { get; set; }
public string dvd { get; set; }
}

public class Ratings
  {
public string critics_rating { get; set; }
public int critics_score { get; set; }
public string audience_rating { get; set; }
public int audience_score { get; set; }
}

public class Abridged_Cast
{
public string name { get; set; }
public string id { get; set; }
public string[] characters { get; set; }
}

answered Jul 18, 2014 at 17:14

fuzzybear

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4 Comments

bflemi3 Over a year ago

I notice that some of the types in your model are different than mine, but if it were a type issue would the properties with matching types be deserailized properly? Only the incorrect types would be null or default.

fuzzybear Over a year ago

so where exactly is it crashing ? are you able to view props inside your post method ?

bflemi3 Over a year ago

it's not crashing. The json is being bound to the correct model but all the model properties are null or default.

fuzzybear Over a year ago

Hmmm, might be worth trying the class in that case ?

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