Deserialize json into an object

[MMock]

I am getting json back from an api call to asana. I would think somewhere on this internet I could find definitions of asana objects. Otherwise, I would define my own, right? How do I take a string such as this:

{
  "data" : [ {
    "id" : 15-char-id,
    "created_at" : "2018-05-24T18:25:05.747Z",
    "created_by" : {
      "id" : 15-char-id,
      "name" : "MMOCK"
    },
    "text" : "added to Customer Pre-Sale Project Summary",
    "type" : "system"
  }, {
    "id" : 15-char-id,
    "created_at" : "2018-05-24T18:26:39.485Z",
    "created_by" : {
      "id" : 15-char-id,
      "name" : "MMOCK"
    },
    "text" : "added to Customer Implementation Scheduling",
    "type" : "system"
  }

and deserialize it, like this person did with his Account object?

public class Account
{
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public bool Active { get; set; }
    public DateTime CreatedDate { get; set; }
    public IList<string> Roles { get; set; }
}
string json = @"{
  'Email': 'james@example.com',
  'Active': true,
  'CreatedDate': '2013-01-20T00:00:00Z',
  'Roles': [
    'User',
    'Admin'
  ]
}";

Account account = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Account>(json);

(I will write my objects if I have to. I'm just thinking someone will come along and say why are you doing that? It's right here on the internet.)

[NeedSomeAnswers]

First things first, do not use the standard MS json converter, using NuGet get the NewtonSoft Json library.

Everyone uses it as its much nicer and simpler to use and there is loads of documentation on it.

here is example deserialize code form one of my apps -

TimesheetData result = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<TimesheetData>(json);

So JsonConvert is a NewtonSoftJson class, DeserializeObject the method, you give it the class type you want it to deserialize your json into in my case TimesheetData, then in the brackets you pass in your (json) and that it it does all the work for you and fill you list with objects based upon your json data.


This is my TimesheetData class

 public class TimesheetData 
    {
        [JsonProperty("Data")]
        public IList<Timesheet> Data
        {
            get;
            set;
        }
    }

and my Timesheet class basically looks like this - (i have trimmed it down to just the first property)

You will notice that this class features this tag -

[JsonProperty("UserCode")]

this is NewtonSoftJson tag which just maps your property to the json property name.

 public class Timesheet 
    {
        private int _UserCode;

[JsonProperty("UserCode")]
        public int UserCode
        {
            get
            {
                return _UserCode;
            }
            set
            {
                Set(() => UserCode, ref _UserCode, value);
            }
        }
}

For your specific json example for the Created_By item you will need to create a class for as it has 2 properties,

So you would have a main class with that standard properties of String, DateTime etc. but for the Created_By it will be type of your CreatedBy class which will need the 2 properties for id and name.

thats it really give it a go and post back if you have any issues

[MMock]

Yes, I got it. It was much more trivial than I thought.

    public class MyClassX
    {
        public List<RootObjectX> data { get; set; }
    }
    public class RootObjectX
    {
        public string id { get; set; }
        public string created_at { get; set; }
        public CreatedBy created_by { get; set; }
        public string text { get; set; }
        public string type { get; set; }
    }
    public class CreatedBy
    {
        public string id { get; set; }
        public string name { get; set; }
    }

Now I have an asnana-specific question how to get only text that are truly user-entered notes and not just a note because someone assigned a task or added a follower. There doesn't seem to be a differentiation.

P.S. I've got NewtonSoft Json library!

[NeedSomeAnswers]

Yep json is easy and nice to use and quick too, its so much faster than XML which you will notice if you ever have to parse larger data sets

not sure i can help with your Asana question, but will it not have a different type if its a user entered note ? or is the type system for those too?

[MMock]

will it not have a different type if its a user entered note ? or is the type system for those too?

Yes! It is type "comment". LOL, thanks!!!