Web API 2.0 - Custom Date Formatting with JavaScriptConverter

Question

I need every DateTime object to be in the basic format of "yyyy-MM-dd".

When I was using JSON.Net to do this, it worked fine by adding the following to the WebApiConfig.cs:

    config.Formatters.JsonFormatter.SerializerSettings.Converters.Add(
        new IsoDateTimeConverter() { DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd" });

However, I have reworked my controllers to return IHttpActionResult and just return Json(objectToSerialize). Now the date formats are wrong as I assume that's because this is now using the JavaScriptConverter. Let me know if I'm wrong.

How do I convert every DateTime in my serialized object into the format I need?

By default, they are now showing as "1927-01-29T00:00:00" ... I need "1927-01-29".

I've seen some crazy hacks that seem like total overkill (such as this one).

Is there a clean way to do this?

Honestly I have no idea, which is why I'm asking. I would prefer a global configuration setting that forces Web API to format ALL dates in this format when serializing objects. The controller returns IHttpActionResult and the return line is return Json(myObject). — Patrick
– Patrick, Commented Mar 27, 2016 at 22:21

Andrey Borisko · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-27 22:26:58Z

3

Well, you can still use IHttpActionResult but what you return is not the correct thing. In your case I believe you can fix it via:

return Ok(objectToSerialize);

it will keep JSON.NET by default in WebApi and you should have your date formatting kept

answered Mar 27, 2016 at 22:26

Andrey Borisko

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Patrick Over a year ago

That did the trick. Thanks. I have to rewrite a lot of my unit tests that expected JsonResult and are now seeing OkNegotiatedContentResult but that's fine.

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