Read and parse a Json File in C#

I have spent the best part of two days "faffing" about with code samples and etc., trying to read a very large JSON file into an array in c# so I can later split it up into a 2d array for processing.

The problem I was having was I could not find any examples of people doing what I was trying to do. This meant I was just editing code a little an hoping for the best.

I have managed to get something working that will:

Read the file Miss out headers and only read values into array.
Place a certain amount of values on each line of an array. (So I could later split it an put into 2d array)

This was done with the code below but it crashes the program after entering a few lines into the array. This might have to do with the file size.

// If the file extension was a jave file the following 
// load method will be use else it will move on to the 
// next else if statement
if (fileExtension == ".json") 
{
    int count = 0;
    int count2 = 0;
    int inOrOut = 0;
    int nRecords=1; 
    JsonTextReader reader = new JsonTextReader(new StreamReader(txtLoaction.Text));
    string[] rawData = new string[5];
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        if (reader.Value != null)
            if (inOrOut == 1)
            {
                if (count == 6)
                {
                    nRecords++;
                    Array.Resize(ref rawData, nRecords);
                    //textBox1.Text += "\r\n";
                    count = 0;
                }
                rawData[count2] += reader.Value + ","; //+"\r\n"
                inOrOut = 0;
                count++;
                if (count2 == 500)
                {
                    MessageBox.Show(rawData[499]);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                inOrOut = 1;
            }
    } 
}

A snippet of the JSON I am working with is:

[ 
    { "millis": "1000", 
      "stamp": "1273010254", 
      "datetime": "2010/5/4 21:57:34", 
      "light": "333", 
      "temp": "78.32", 
      "vcc": "3.54" }, 
]

I need the values out of this JSON. For example, I need "3.54", but I would not want it to print the "vcc".

I am hoping someone can show me how to read a JSON file in and only extract the data that I need and put it into an array or something that I can use to later put into an array.

Solution 1:

How about making everything easier with Json.NET?

    public void LoadJson()
    {
        using (StreamReader r = new StreamReader("file.json"))
        {
            string json = r.ReadToEnd();
            List<Item> items = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<Item>>(json);
        }
    }

    public class Item
    {
        public int millis;
        public string stamp;
        public DateTime datetime;
        public string light;
        public float temp;
        public float vcc;
    }

You can even get the values dynamically without declaring Item class.

    dynamic array = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(json);
    foreach(var item in array)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}", item.temp, item.vcc);
    }

Solution 2:

Doing this yourself is an awful idea. Use Json.NET. It has already solved the problem better than most programmers could if they were given months on end to work on it. As for your specific needs, parsing into arrays and such, check the documentation, particularly on JsonTextReader. Basically, Json.NET handles JSON arrays natively and will parse them into strings, ints, or whatever the type happens to be without prompting from you. Here is a direct link to the basic code usages for both the reader and the writer, so you can have that open in a spare window while you're learning to work with this.

This is for the best: Be lazy this time and use a library so you solve this common problem forever.

Solution 3:

This can also be done in the following way:

JObject data = JObject.Parse(File.ReadAllText(MyFilePath));

Solution 4:

Based on @L.B.'s solution, the (typed as Object rather than Anonymous) VB code is

Dim oJson As Object = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(File.ReadAllText(MyFilePath))

I should mention that this is quick and useful for constructing HTTP call content where the type isn't required. And using Object rather than Anonymous means you can maintain Option Strict On in your Visual Studio environment - I hate turning that off.

Solution 5:

Answer for .NET Core

You can just use the built-in System.Text.Json instead of the 3rd-party Json.NET. To promote reuse, the JSON-file-reading functionality belongs in its own class and should be generic rather than hard-coded to a certain type (Item). Here's a full example:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace Project
{
    class Program
    {
        static async Task Main()
        {
            Item item = await JsonFileReader.ReadAsync<Item>(@"C:\myFile.json");
        }
    }

    public static class JsonFileReader
    {
        public static async Task<T> ReadAsync<T>(string filePath)
        {
            using FileStream stream = File.OpenRead(filePath);
            return await JsonSerializer.DeserializeAsync<T>(stream);
        }
    }

    public class Item
    {
        public int millis;
        public string stamp;
        public DateTime datetime;
        public string light;
        public float temp;
        public float vcc;
    }
}

Or, if you prefer something simpler/synchronous:

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Item item = JsonFileReader.Read<Item>(@"C:\myFile.json");
    }
}

public static class JsonFileReader
{
    public static T Read<T>(string filePath)
    {
        string text = File.ReadAllText(filePath);
        return JsonSerializer.Deserialize<T>(text);
    }
}