How to flatten an ExpandoObject returned via JsonResult in asp.net mvc?

I really like the ExpandoObject while compiling a server-side dynamic object at runtime, but I am having trouble flattening this thing out during JSON serialization. First, I instantiate the object:

dynamic expando = new ExpandoObject();
var d = expando as IDictionary<string, object>;
expando.Add("SomeProp", SomeValueOrClass);

So far so good. In my MVC controller, I want to then send this down as a JsonResult, so I do this:

return new JsonResult(expando);

This serializes the JSON into the below, to be consumed by the browser:

[{"Key":"SomeProp", "Value": SomeValueOrClass}]

BUT, what I'd really like is to see this:

{SomeProp: SomeValueOrClass}

I know I can achieve this if I use dynamic instead of ExpandoObject -- JsonResult is able to serialize the dynamic properties and values into a single object (with no Key or Value business), but the reason I need to use ExpandoObject is because I don't know all of the properties I want on the object until runtime, and as far as I know, I cannot dynamically add a property to a dynamic without using an ExpandoObject.

I may have to sift through the "Key", "Value" business in my javascript, but I was hoping to figure this out prior to sending it to the client. Thanks for your help!

Solution 1:

Using JSON.NET you can call SerializeObject to "flatten" the expando object:

dynamic expando = new ExpandoObject();
expando.name = "John Smith";
expando.age = 30;

var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(expando);

Will output:

{"name":"John Smith","age":30}

In the context of an ASP.NET MVC Controller, the result can be returned using the Content-method:

public class JsonController : Controller
{
    public ActionResult Data()
    {
        dynamic expando = new ExpandoObject();
        expando.name = "John Smith";
        expando.age = 30;

        var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(expando);

        return Content(json, "application/json");
    }
}

Solution 2:

You could also, make a special JSONConverter that works only for ExpandoObject and then register it in an instance of JavaScriptSerializer. This way you could serialize arrays of expando,combinations of expando objects and ... until you find another kind of object that is not getting serialized correctly("the way u want"), then you make another Converter, or add another type to this one. Hope this helps.

using System.Web.Script.Serialization;    
public class ExpandoJSONConverter : JavaScriptConverter
{
    public override object Deserialize(IDictionary<string, object> dictionary, Type type, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
    {
        throw new NotImplementedException();
    }
    public override IDictionary<string, object> Serialize(object obj, JavaScriptSerializer serializer)
    {         
        var result = new Dictionary<string, object>();
        var dictionary = obj as IDictionary<string, object>;
        foreach (var item in dictionary)
            result.Add(item.Key, item.Value);
        return result;
    }
    public override IEnumerable<Type> SupportedTypes
    {
        get 
        { 
              return new ReadOnlyCollection<Type>(new Type[] { typeof(System.Dynamic.ExpandoObject) });
        }
    }
}

Using converter

var serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer(); 
serializer.RegisterConverters(new JavaScriptConverter[] { new ExpandoJSONConverter()});
var json = serializer.Serialize(obj);

Solution 3:

Here's what I did to achieve the behavior you're describing:

dynamic expando = new ExpandoObject();
expando.Blah = 42;
expando.Foo = "test";
...

var d = expando as IDictionary<string, object>;
d.Add("SomeProp", SomeValueOrClass);

// After you've added the properties you would like.
d = d.ToDictionary(x => x.Key, x => x.Value);
return new JsonResult(d);

The cost is that you're making a copy of the data before serializing it.

Solution 4:

I solved this by writing an extension method that converts the ExpandoObject into a JSON string:

public static string Flatten(this ExpandoObject expando)
{
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    List<string> contents = new List<string>();
    var d = expando as IDictionary<string, object>;
    sb.Append("{");

    foreach (KeyValuePair<string, object> kvp in d) {
        contents.Add(String.Format("{0}: {1}", kvp.Key,
           JsonConvert.SerializeObject(kvp.Value)));
    }
    sb.Append(String.Join(",", contents.ToArray()));

    sb.Append("}");

    return sb.ToString();
}

This uses the excellent Newtonsoft library.

JsonResult then looks like this:

return JsonResult(expando.Flatten());

And this is returned to the browser:

"{SomeProp: SomeValueOrClass}"

And I can use it in javascript by doing this (referenced here):

var obj = JSON.parse(myJsonString);

I hope this helps!

Solution 5:

I was able to solve this same problem using JsonFx.

        dynamic person = new System.Dynamic.ExpandoObject();
        person.FirstName  = "John";
        person.LastName   = "Doe";
        person.Address    = "1234 Home St";
        person.City       = "Home Town";
        person.State      = "CA";
        person.Zip        = "12345";

        var writer = new JsonFx.Json.JsonWriter();
        return writer.Write(person);

output:

{ "FirstName": "John", "LastName": "Doe", "Address": "1234 Home St", "City": "Home Town", "State": "CA", "Zip": "12345" }