Serialize C# Enum Definition to Json

Question

Given the following in C#:

[Flags] public enum MyFlags { None = 0, First = 1 << 0, Second = 1 << 1, Third = 1 << 2, Fourth = 1 << 3 }

Are there any existing methods in ServiceStack.Text for serializing to the following JSON?

{ "MyFlags": { "None": 0, "First": 1, "Second": 2, "Third": 4, "Fourth": 8 } }

Currently I'm using the routine below, are there better ways to do this?

public static string ToJson(this Type type) { var stringBuilder = new StringBuilder(); Array values = Enum.GetValues(type); stringBuilder.Append(string.Format(@"{{ ""{0}"": {{", type.Name)); foreach (Enum value in values) { stringBuilder.Append( string.Format( @"""{0}"": {1},", Enum.GetName(typeof(Highlights), value), Convert.ChangeType(value, value.GetTypeCode()))); } stringBuilder.Remove(stringBuilder.Length - 1, 1); stringBuilder.Append("}}"); return stringBuilder.ToString(); }

@GavinFaux An enum isn't a collection. Enums are like classes with constants, thus I don't find "legal" serializing them as objects or associative arrays. — Matías Fidemraizer
– Matías Fidemraizer, Commented Feb 8, 2013 at 15:46
@ElYusubov: I disagree, the desired output is completely different than the one in the linked question. — Heinzi
– Heinzi, Commented Feb 8, 2013 at 15:47

Kevin Holditch · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-08 16:22:28Z

public static class EnumExtensions { public static string EnumToJson(this Type type) { if (!type.IsEnum) throw new InvalidOperationException("enum expected"); var results = Enum.GetValues(type).Cast<object>() .ToDictionary(enumValue => enumValue.ToString(), enumValue => (int) enumValue); return string.Format("{{ \"{0}\" : {1} }}", type.Name, Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(results)); } }

Using a dictionary of to do the heavy lifting. Then using Newtonsoft's json convert to convert that to json. I just had to do a bit of wrapping to add the type name on.

I was working on something like this, but you beat me to it. One modification: You can use the builtin JavaScriptSerializer instead of an external library. See here for example.

mythz · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-08 15:46:33Z

6

You're better off populating a Dictionary<string,int> or a Typed DTO and serializing that.

answered Feb 8, 2013 at 15:46

mythz

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2 Comments

Gavin Faux Over a year ago

Thanks, I did try that initially with look up values but was having some issues, will have another look.

Gavin Faux Over a year ago

Sorry for the duplicate, I was looking to see if there was anything already in ServiceStack, which is: Enum.GetValues(typeof(MyEnum)).OfType<MyEnum>().Where(x => x != MyEnum.None).ToDictionary(k => k.ToString(), v => (int)v)

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