I am programming against a third party API which returns JSON data, but the format can be a little strange. Certain properties can either be an object (which contains an Id property), or a string (which is the Id of the object). For example, both of the following are valid:
{
ChildObject: 'childobjectkey1'
}
and
{
ChildObject: {
Id: 'childobjectkey1',
// (other properties)
}
}
I'm trying to deserialize this using JSON.net into a strongly typed class, but haven't had much luck so far. My best idea was to serialise it to two properties, one a string and the other an object, and to use a custom JsonConverter for each to allow for the variable behaviour:
public abstract class BaseEntity
{
public string Id { get; set; }
}
public class ChildObject : BaseEntity { }
public class MyObject
{
[JsonProperty("ChildObject")]
[JsonConverter(typeof(MyCustomIdConverter))]
public string ChildObjectId { get; set; }
[JsonProperty("ChildObject")]
[JsonConverter(typeof(MyCustomObjectConverter))]
public ChildObject ChildObject { get; set; }
}
However, setting the JsonProperty
attribute on two properties with the same PropertyName causes the exception:
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializationException: A member with the name
'ChildObject' already exists on '.....'.
Use the JsonPropertyAttribute to specify another name.
I'm fairly sure the JsonConverter approach will work if I can get over this hurdle - I suspect the error is there because the JsonProperty attribute is used for Serialization as well as Deserialization. In this instance I have no interest in Serializing this class - it will only ever be used as the target for Deserialization.
I have no control over the remote end (it's a third party API), but I would like to be able to achieve this serialisation. I don't mind if it's using the approach I've started on, or one I've not thought of yet.
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