Deserialize JSON to 2 different models

Question

Does Newtonsoft.JSON library have a simple way I can automatically deserialize JSON into 2 different Models/classes?

For example I get the JSON:

[{
  \"g         


        

Answer 1

You could make a type to house the two subobjects:

[JsonConverter(typeof(GuardianPatientConverter))]
class GuardianPatient
{
    public Guardian Guardian { get; set; }
    public Patient Patient { get; set; }
}

And then create a JSON converter to handle the JSON:

class GuardianPatientConverter : JsonConverter
{
    public override bool CanRead
    {
        get { return true; }
    }

    public override bool CanWrite
    {
        get { return false; }
    }

    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
    {
        return typeof(GuardianPatient) == objectType;
    }

    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        if (reader.TokenType == JsonToken.Null)
        {
            return null;
        }

        var jObject = JObject.Load(reader);
        var guardian = new Guardian();
        var patient = new Patient();
        serializer.Populate(jObject.CreateReader(), guardian);
        serializer.Populate(jObject.CreateReader(), patient);
        return new GuardianPatient()
        {
            Guardian = guardian,
            Patient = patient
        };
    }

    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        throw new NotImplementedException();
    }
}

And then you can use it like so:

var json = "[{\"guardian_id\":\"1453\",\"guardian_name\":\"Foo Bar\",\"patient_id\":\"938\",\"patient_name\":\"Foo Bar\",}]";
var objects = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject>(json);

and if you want it as an array of pairs:

var objects = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject>(json)
    .Select(o => new Pair(o.Guardian, o.Patient))
    .ToArray();

This won't make it any faster, but I suspect you're looking for an easier way to work with the JSON.