Looking for correct object notation to represent JSON-style data in C#
Looking for correct object notation to represent JSON-style data in C#
I'm used to making web apps using JSON but now I have to develop in C# and I'm running into difficulty choosing the correct object notation as I have little formal training.
Basically I want to re-create the following JSON in C#:
"10003":
"computer": 25,
"desk": 23,
"chair": 7,
"score": 44
,
"10004":
"computer": 35,
"desk": 23,
"chair": 7,
"score": 77
,
etc...
So that I can access or change any value quickly by doing something like:
myObjectName["10003"]["score"] = 23
I also need to rank the order of the high level keys ('10003', '10004, etc.') based on the value of 'score' they have inside them.
I've been considering some combination of a Dictionary of Lists of KeyValuePairs but I'm looking for the simplest/correct method of notation in this instance?
EDIT: I'm not trying to convert JSON. I don't have any JSON. I was just showing how I would do it with JSON. I'm looking for a native C# method, unless everyone in C# is just using JSON?
Yeah, I was looking for a native approach without using JSON at all
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 9:47
@mjwills How easy is it to sort the nested dictionaries by one of the inner dictionary's int properties??
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 10:44
If you look at the JSON equivalent I have posted in the question, I want to sort the dictionaries by the value of their 'score' key. Is that possible?
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 10:50
@mjwills If you elaborate on how to use OrderBy on retrieval and submit it as an answer, I'll accept that.
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 11:01
2 Answers
2
One approach to consider is to store it in a Dictionary of Dictionary and then OrderBy as needed:
Dictionary
Dictionary
OrderBy
static void Main(string args)
var bob = new Dictionary<string, Dictionary<string, int>>();
bob["10003"] = new Dictionary<string, int>
"computer", 25 ,
"desk", 23 ,
"chair", 7 ,
"score", 44 ;
bob["10004"] = new Dictionary<string, int>
"computer", 35 ,
"desk", 23 ,
"chair", 7 ,
"score", 77 ;
bob["10005"] = new Dictionary<string, int>
"computer", 85 ,
"desk", 23 ,
"chair", 7 ,
"score", 10 ;
var ordered = bob.OrderBy(z => z.Value["score"]).ToList();
Console.WriteLine(ordered.First().Value["computer"]); // 85 since 10 is the lowest score
Console.WriteLine(ordered.Last().Value["computer"]); // 35 since 77 is the highest score
Console.ReadLine();
I was also able to sort the dictionary using myDict = myDict.OrderByDescending(x => x.Value["score"]).ToDictionary(x => x.Key, x => x.Value);
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 11:13
No, don't do
ToDictionary @AzzyDude. Dictionary instances are explicitly not guaranteed to be ordered. It may work today but not forever - docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/… . The order in which the items are returned is undefined. ToList will be fine since it will maintain order.– mjwills
Aug 20 at 11:14
ToDictionary
Dictionary
The order in which the items are returned is undefined.
ToList
Also if every entity has the same fields (
computer, chair etc) then consider adding a new MyEntry class with all of the appropriate fields in it (computer, chair etc) to avoid the need for the inner Dictionary.– mjwills
Aug 20 at 11:18
computer
chair
MyEntry
computer
chair
Dictionary
You can Convert it into dataset as:
DataSet myDataSet= JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<DataSet>(jsonstring);
And then change data like:
myDataSet.Tables[0].Rows[0]["10003"]["score"]=23;
I should clarify I don't already have a JSON string I am trying to convert. That was just to give an indicator of how I would do it in JSON. I am reading the data from an SQL database and can organize it any way I want. Is there not a native C# approach to store the data and achieve the same results?
– AzzyDude
Aug 20 at 9:53
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I assume you are familiar with NewtonSoft.json lib? you can define a class in your code with these fields, and serialize and deserialize using them. Or are you asking for some other approach?
– PiJei
Aug 20 at 9:42