c# - DataContractJsonSerializer - Deserializing DateTime within List<object>

Question

I'm having trouble using the System.Runtime.Serialization.Json.DataContractJsonSerializer class to deserialize DateTime instances contained within a List<object>. I cannot seem to get DateTime to deserialize back into the original type. The DataContractJsonSerializer always deserializes it into a string type with the format "/Date(1329159196126-0500)/". It'll serialize and deserialize fine if I run it through using a strongly typed List<DateTime>, however I am looking for way to get the serializer to identify and properly deserialize DateTimes when encountered within a simple list or array of object.

Note that DateTimes are the only type besides primitives and strings that this list will ever contain. Here is the code snippet I'm using to test this.

var list = new List<object> { 27, "foo bar", 12.34m, true, DateTime.Now };
var serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof (List<object>));
using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
{
    serializer.WriteObject(ms, list);
    ms.Position = 0;
    var deserializedList = serializer.ReadObject(ms) as List<object>;
}

Answer 1

In the .NET Framework version 4.5 the DataContractJsonSerializer has a constructor that accepts a DataContractJsonSerializerSettings object that can be used to set the DateTimeFormat:

var ser = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(CreateOmsEntryCommand),
              new DataContractJsonSerializerSettings
              {
                  DateTimeFormat = new DateTimeFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ")
              });