ConvertFrom-JSON strips array from object

Question

I'm loading a text file containing some Json to edit a property. However, after modifying the content and writing it to file, the Json becomes invalid.I

I use the following PowerShell to modify the file:

$manifest = Get-Content $PathToManifest -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json

#modify Json    

Set-Content -Path $PathToManifest -Value ( $manifest | ConvertTo-Json)

The following snippet from my Json file gets corrupted:

 "contributions": [
    {
      "id": "sample-data-widget",
      "type": "ms.vss-dashboards-web.widget",
      "targets": ["ms.vss-dashboards-web.widget-catalog"],
      "properties": "@{name=Sample Data; description=Create sample data in a VSTS project.; previewImageUrl=img/logo.png; uri=index.html; supportedSizes=System.Object[]; supportedScopes=System.Object[]}"
    }]

After loading the Json and writing it back to file the array syntax around targets is gone:

  "contributions": [
    {
      "id": "sample-data-widget",
      "type": "ms.vss-dashboards-web.widget",
      "targets": "ms.vss-dashboards-web.widget-catalog",
      "properties": "@{name=Sample Data; description=Create sample data in a VSTS project.; previewImageUrl=img/logo.png; uri=index.html; supportedSizes=System.Object[]; supportedScopes=System.Object[]}"
    }]

Why is this happening? Is there a way to make sure the syntax doesn't change?

Both of you json snippets look the same. Can you show what it looks like before? — Matt
– Matt, Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 15:55
@Matt the top one is before, bottom one below. If you look at the targets property you see that the [ ] around the value are gone. — Wouter de Kort
– Wouter de Kort ♦, Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 16:18
@beatcracker if you add that as answer, preferably with some explanation, I'll accept it! It works :) — Wouter de Kort
– Wouter de Kort ♦, Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 16:24
I meant that I saw system.object[] on both. That is not part of your original I would imagine — Matt
– Matt, Commented Feb 18, 2016 at 18:08

beatcracker · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-18 16:56:29Z

ConvertTo-Json has Depth parameter that controls how many levels of contained objects are included in the JSON representation. The default value is 2. ConvertTo-Json will call .ToString() on anything nested deeper than specified Depth.

So all you need is to specify sufficiently large number for Depth argument or just ([int]::MaxValue).

Set-Content -Path $PathToManifest -Value ( $manifest | ConvertTo-Json -Depth ([int]::MaxValue))

Examples of nesting and ConvertTo-Json behavior:

$NestedArray = @(1,@(2,@(3,@(4))))

Default:

$NestedArray | ConvertTo-Json

[
    1,
    {
        "value":  [
                      2,
                      [
                          3,
                          "4"
                      ]
                  ],
        "Count":  2
    }
]

No nesting at all:

$NestedArray | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 1

[
    1,
    {
        "value":  [
                      2,
                      "3 System.Object[]"
                  ],
        "Count":  2
    }
]

Desired result:

$NestedArray | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 3

[
    1,
    {
        "value":  [
                      2,
                      [
                          3,
                          [
                              4
                          ]
                      ]
                  ],
        "Count":  2
    }
]

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