How to Convert a DataTable to a JSON String with a 'records' Array in C#?

C# DataTable to JSON Conversion: Achieving the Desired Format

This guide demonstrates how to convert a C# DataTable into a JSON string with a specific structure, avoiding the default JSON object format. The target format is a JSON object containing a "records" array of individual record objects.

Steps:

1. Populate the DataTable: Begin by creating a DataTable and populating it with data from your database (or any other source).

2. Use JavaScriptSerializer: Utilize the JavaScriptSerializer class to handle the JSON serialization.

3. Create a List of Dictionaries: Construct a list to store each row of the DataTable as a dictionary.

4. Iterate and Populate Dictionaries: Loop through each DataRow in the DataTable. For each row:

   • Create a new dictionary.
   • Iterate through each DataColumn in the DataTable.
   • Add the column name (col.ColumnName) as the key and the corresponding column value (dr[col]) as the value to the dictionary.
   • Add the completed dictionary to the list of dictionaries.

5. Serialize the List: Finally, serialize the list of dictionaries using JavaScriptSerializer, wrapping it in a JSON object with a "records" property.

Code Example:

<code class="language-csharp">using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
using System.Data;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public string ConvertDataTableToJson()
{
    DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
    // Fill dataTable with data from your database

    JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
    List<Dictionary<string, object>> records = new List<Dictionary<string, object>>();

    foreach (DataRow row in dataTable.Rows)
    {
        Dictionary<string, object> record = new Dictionary<string, object>();
        foreach (DataColumn column in dataTable.Columns)
        {
            record.Add(column.ColumnName, row[column]);
        }
        records.Add(record);
    }

    return serializer.Serialize(new { records = records });
}</code>

This revised code provides a clear and efficient method for converting a DataTable to the specified JSON format, ensuring each record is properly represented within a "records" array. Remember to add the necessary using statements.

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