README.md

StringEnum Newtonsoft.Json serialization

Json serialization was not built into the NuGet package to avoid a possibly unneeded dependency on Newtonsoft.Json.

To add Json.Net serialization support you need the StringEnumJsonConverter class.

This extended version file has everything in one: StringEnum.cs.

Or:

• Add StringEnumJsonConverter class to your code.

  using Newtonsoft.Json;
  using System;
  using System.Reflection;
  
  public class StringEnumJsonConverter : JsonConverter
  {
      public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
      {
          return IsSubclassOfRawGeneric(typeof(StringEnum<>), objectType);
      }
  
      public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
      {
          writer.WriteValue(value.ToString());
      }
  
      public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
      {
          string s = (string)reader.Value;
          return typeof(StringEnum<>)
                  .MakeGenericType(objectType)
                  .GetMethod("Parse", BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static)
                  .Invoke(null, new object[] { s, false });
      }
  
      static bool IsSubclassOfRawGeneric(Type generic, Type toCheck)
      {
          while (toCheck != null && toCheck != typeof(object))
          {
              var cur = toCheck.IsGenericType ? toCheck.GetGenericTypeDefinition() : toCheck;
              if (generic == cur)
              {
                  return true;
              }
              toCheck = toCheck.BaseType;
          }
          return false;
      }
  }

• Adding the following attribute to the StringEnum base class to support all instances, or add it to your specific StringEnums:

    [Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConverter(typeof(StringEnumJsonConverter))]

• You can also avoid the attributes and inject the StringEnumJsonConverter when you setup your (de)serialization:

    //serialization
    var obj = new { Color = Color.Red, MyString = "HelloWorld" };
    var jsonString = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(obj, new StringEnumConverter());

    //deserealization
    var settings = new JsonSerializerSettings();
    settings.Converters.Add(new StringEnumConverter()); 

    var result = JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(jsonString, obj, settings);
    Assert.AreEqual(Color.Red, result.Color);