Portable Library Error on deserialization array of objects - serialization

Question

I have a WebApi returning the following JSON which I am trying to deserialize to the object below
JSON OBJECT
{
"results": [{
"id": 123456,
"fullName": "Foo Bar",
"localName": null,
"jobPosition": "ME",
"jobCompanyName": "EXTRA",
"jobLocationCountry": "United States of America",
"jobLocationCity": "San Francisco",
"jobCountrySubdivision": "California",
"boards": [],
"restrictionsIndicator": false,
"personRestriction": null,
"jobRestriction": null
}, {
"id": 789101,
"fullName": "Foo Bar",
"localName": null,
"jobPosition": null,
"jobCompanyName": "Unknown",
"jobLocationCountry": "Unknown",
"jobLocationCity": "Unknown",
"jobCountrySubdivision": "Unknown",
"boards": [{
"companyId": 667525,
"companyName": "FOO BAR COMPANY",
"companyOffLimits": null,
"restrictionCategoryId": null
}
],
"restrictionsIndicator": false,
"personRestriction": null,
"jobRestriction": null
}
],
"totalCount": 2,
"pageNumber": 1,
"resultsPerPage": 100
}
C# Classes
public class Rootobject
{
public Result[] results { get; set; }
public int totalCount { get; set; }
public int pageNumber { get; set; }
public int resultsPerPage { get; set; }
}
public class Result
{
public int id { get; set; }
public string fullName { get; set; }
public object localName { get; set; }
public string jobPosition { get; set; }
public string jobCompanyName { get; set; }
public string jobLocationCountry { get; set; }
public string jobLocationCity { get; set; }
public string jobCountrySubdivision { get; set; }
public Board[] boards { get; set; }
public bool restrictionsIndicator { get; set; }
public int? personRestriction { get; set; }
public int? jobRestriction { get; set; }
}
public class Board
{
public int companyId { get; set; }
public string companyName { get; set; }
public int? companyOffLimits { get; set; }
public object restrictionCategoryId { get; set; }
}
The DLL is a Portable Class Library which is .NET 4.5 and i have JSON.net(10.0.1) installed via nuget, but the portable library is connected to a xamarin IOS Project on a mac.
If the JSON being deserialized has no Boards it works out fine but if there is a Board then I receive the following message.
Unable to find a constructor to use for type Board. A class should either have a default constructor, one constructor with arguments or a constructor marked with the JsonConstructor attribute. Path 'results[1].boards[0].companyId'
The Settings I am using are:
var settings = new Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings
{
NullValueHandling = Newtonsoft.Json.NullValueHandling.Ignore,
ContractResolver = new Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.CamelCasePropertyNamesContractResolver(),
};
I have tried the following ways to get it to serialize:
var obj = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Rootobject>(_jsonString, settings);
var jobject = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(_jsonString, new Rootobject());
i have tried the following
Put in a default constructor
Naming all the parameters for the class in a constructor
Adding the Attribute to the constructor
Changing the Boards to a List
Taking out the Boards Property
but there is still no joy. It will not deserialize for me.

Answer 1

I think you have to modify this
public class Board
{
public int companyId { get; set; }
public string companyName { get; set; }
public int? companyOffLimits { get; set; }
public object restrictionCategoryId { get; set; }
**public Board(){}**
}
also in other classes
or also change
public Board[] boards { get; set; }
to
public List<Board> boards { get; set; }
Try....