How can I deserialize a nested object in JSON.NET for FormUrlEncodedContent? [duplicate]

Question

The API I am working with requires JSON data, but also requires that the data be sent in the Content-Type of `application/x-www-form-urlencoded' so I am deserializing to a dictionary to pass the body to FormUrlEncodedContent. Everything was reasonably well with the world until I had to send a body that wasn't a flat structure.

I was reading the answer here, and thought that I had stumbled upon the solution to my problem, but I'm getting the following error:

Error reading string. Unexpected token: StartObject. Path 'filters[0]', line 1, position 165.

I am reasonably sure before I tried this method, the position was position 164, so at least I've made some progress before falling on my hands and knees here.

Here's an example of what I am doing.

Objects:

public partial class SearchRequest
{
    [JsonProperty("id")]
    public string Id { get; set; }

    JsonProperty("fieldId")]
    public string FieldId { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("fields")]
    public string[] Fields { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("filters")]
    public Filter[] Filters { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("pageNumber")]
    public long PageNumber { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("searchText")]
    public string SearchText { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("sorting")]
    public Sorting[] Sorting { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("promptValues")]
    public PromptValue[] PromptValues { get; set; }
}

public class Filter
{
    [JsonProperty("fieldId")]
    public string FieldId { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("operator")]
    public string Operator { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("value")]
    public string Value { get; set; }
}

public class PromptValue
{
    [JsonProperty("id")]
    public string Id { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("collectionValue")]
    public string CollectionValue { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("promptId")]
    public string PromptId { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("value")]
    public Value Value { get; set; }
}

public class Value
{
}

public class Sorting
{
    [JsonProperty("fieldId")]
    public string FieldId { get; set; }

    [JsonProperty("direction")]
    public long Direction { get; set; }
}

Method:

Dictionary<string, string> dictBody;
SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest
{
    // Do stuff
}
string body = Serialize.ToJson(searchRequest);
var jObj = JObject.Parse(body);
jObj["filters"] = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(jObj["filters"].ToObject<string[]>());  // Problem encountered here.
jObj["sorting"] = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(jObj["sorting"].ToObject<string[]>());
jObj["promptValues"] = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(jObj["promptValues"].ToObject<string[]>());
dictBody = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, string>>(jObj.ToString());

JSON Sample:

{
    "id": "blah",
    "fieldId": "blah",
    "fields": [
        "blah"
    ],
    "filters": [
        {
            "fieldId": "blah",
            "operator": "eq",
            "value": "blah"
        },
        {
            "fieldId": "blah",
            "operator": "eq",
            "value": "blah"
        }
    ],
    "pageNumber": "blah",
    "searchText": "blah",
    "sorting": [
        {
            "fieldId": "blah",
            "direction": "eq"
        }
    ],
    "promptValues": [
        {
            "id": "blah",
            "collectionValue": "blah",
            "promptId": "blah",
            "value": {}
        }
    ]
}

Can someone help? Even better, is there way of automatically recognising the embedded objects and flattening them?

Can you share the sample JSON you are trying to deserialize? — Chetan
– Chetan, Commented Sep 11, 2019 at 8:34
Did you try c# Build URL encoded query from model object for HttpClient? — dbc
– dbc, Commented Sep 11, 2019 at 9:53
Well it's an extension method so you would do var dictBody = searchRequest.ToKeyValue(); — dbc
– dbc, Commented Sep 11, 2019 at 10:09
Thanks @dbc works perfectly. Appreciate your patience with the additional question. I'd be happy to accept this as an answer if you want to post it below. — Ash
– Ash, Commented Sep 11, 2019 at 10:43

G.Dimov · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-11 10:29:53Z

3

I've tested your case and came up with the following solution:

The code below should come after your SearchRequest class.

SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest
{
    // Do stuff
}

When you have your class, you do the follwing:

Dictionary<string, string> dictBody = new Dictionary<string, string>();

var properties = searchRequest.GetType().GetProperties(BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Public);
foreach (var prop in properties)
{
    var valueAsObj = prop.GetValue(searchRequest);
    var valueAsString = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(valueAsObj);
    dictBody.Add(prop.Name, valueAsString);
}

This will fill your Dictionary<string, string>. Here is an example:

Hope this helps, Cheers :)

answered Sep 11, 2019 at 10:29

G.Dimov

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2 Comments

Ash Over a year ago

Thank you for providing an answer. I really appreciate that you tested it too. I've upvoted, but already found a working solution from the comments above.

G.Dimov Over a year ago

Hey, thanks for the positive answer. :) Upvoted as well

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