How to deserialize a JSON object containing two arrays - json

Question

I'm using VB.Net, MVC 5. I'm creating a javaScript object then passing that object to my controller using ajax and JSON.
My object is created like this:
var myEdits = {
arrayOfIDs: [],
arrayOfValues : []
};
This is how I send the object to the server:
$.ajax({
url: '/ViewDetails/EditConfirmation',
type: 'POST',
data: { 'myEdits': myEdits }
})
.success(function (result) {
alert("success");
})
.error (function (status) {
alert(status);
})
My string when it hits the server looks like this:
"{"arrayOfIDs":["53","54","55","56"],"arrayOfValues":["foo","bar","narf","woohoo"]}"
I've tried creating a class like this:
Function CompareEdits(myEdits As Object) As IEnumerable(Of compareEdits)
Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
Dim model As compareEdits
model = serializer.Deserialize(Of compareEdits)(myEdits)
Return model
End Function
End Class
Public Class compareEdits
Public Property arrayOfIDs As List(Of String)
Public Property arrayOfValues As List(Of String)
End Class
I've also tried deserializing it like this:
Function CompareEdits(myEdits As Object) As IEnumerable(Of compareEdits)
Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
Dim model
model = serializer.Deserialize(Of Array)(myEdits)
Return model
End Function
I keep getting this error when I try to deserialize my JSON string:
{"Conversion from type 'String()' to type 'String' is not valid."}
The first array in the string is used to decide which field to update, the second array in the string is the actual value.
How do I properly deserialize this string?

Answer 1

Your first attempt is mostly correct:
' the serialized data is string, dont box it
' the return is a Type containing the Lists/Arrays
Function CompareEdits(myEdits As String) As compareEdits
Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
Dim model = serializer.Deserialize(Of compareEdits)(myEdits)
Return model
End Function
The return Type is definitely wrong: you are deserializing to a Type which contains the 2 arrays/lists, so As IEnumerable isnt right.
I'm not sure why you get the error or where, I accidentally typed it in without those 2 aspects and it worked fine. The error mentioned likely to result from the second method.