Converting Data Table / Dataset Into JSON String

Converting Data Table / Dataset Into JSON String

JSON (Java Script Object Notation), is a light weight, easily understandable to read and write string. It is also easily parse-able by machine.

JSON is introduced on two structues

A collection (key/value pair)

And ordered list of values.

I have not covered this topic in detail. Detailed analysis is stated on http://www.json.org/.

I am presenting a helper function (in C#) for developers for fast parsing on datatable / dataset into JSON String, and access it on client-side.
public static string GetJSONString(DataTable Dt)

{

string[] StrDc = new string[Dt.Columns.Count];

string HeadStr = string.Empty;
for (int i = 0; i < Dt.Columns.Count; i++)

{

StrDc[i] = Dt.Columns[i].Caption;
HeadStr += "\"" + StrDc[i] + "\" : \"" + StrDc[i] + i.ToString() + "¾" + "\",";

}

HeadStr = HeadStr.Substring(0, HeadStr.Length - 1);
StringBuilder Sb = new StringBuilder();

Sb.Append("{\"" + Dt.TableName + "\" : [");
for (int i = 0; i < Dt.Rows.Count; i++)

{

string TempStr = HeadStr;

Sb.Append("{");
for (int j = 0; j < Dt.Columns.Count; j++)

{

TempStr = TempStr.Replace(Dt.Columns[j] + j.ToString() + "¾", Dt.Rows[i][j].ToString());

}
Sb.Append(TempStr + "},");

}
Sb = new StringBuilder(Sb.ToString().Substring(0, Sb.ToString().Length - 1));

Sb.Append("]}");
return Sb.ToString();

}

Here, Dt is the datatable, and it returns JSON formatted string.

For detailed porcedure on how to access this string on client side, please refer to this link Exposing Webservices to Client-Side because I don't like to do task repetition.

Please donot forget to convert to JSON string to JSON Object using

var JObject = eval('(' + JSONString + ');');

in Javascript JObject have all characteristics of JSON object, through which you can Use JObject by iterrating or what so ever.

e.g., you can use your JObject as

for(var i = 0; i < JObject .Employees.length; i++)

{

var val1 = JObject.Employees[i].EmployeeID;

var val2 = JObject.Employees[i].NationalIDNumber;

var val3 = JObject.Employees[i].Title;

var val4 = JObject.Employees[i].BirthDate;

var val5 = JObject .Employees[i].HireDate ;

}

Please note that I am querieng data from AdventurWorksDB SQL Sample Database (Table: Employee).

I hope this article will be helpful for you.

Any Questions / Queries ??

Regards,
SHAREEF MOHD