DataContractJsonSerializer Date Serialization

Question

Is there a way to change how the DataContractJsonSerializer serializes dates?

Currently, it'll convert a date to something like:

{ "date": "/Date(1260597600000-0600)/" }

I want to convert it into human readable date format.

I am building a RestApi using openrasta framework. Can i write OperationInterceptors which will at some stage before serialization/deserialization convert JSON datetime format to something which is human readable?Or is there any other way to do it?

Answer 1

Finally i have handled this issue as below(c#)

    [DataMember]
    public string Date { get; set; }

    [IgnoreDataMember]
    public DateTime? DateForInternalUse { get; set; }

    [OnSerializing]
    public void OnSerializing(StreamingContext context)
    {
      Date = (DateForInternalUse != null) ? ((DateTime)DateForInternalUse).ToString(DateTimeFormatForSerialization) : null;
    }

    [OnDeserialized]
    public void OnDeserialized(StreamingContext context)
    {
      try
      {
        DateForInternalUse = !String.IsNullOrEmpty(Date) ? DateTime.ParseExact(Date, DateTimeFormats, null, DateTimeStyles.None) : (DateTime?)null;
      }
      catch (FormatException)
      {
        DateForInternalUse = null;
      }
    }

In this case we can specify the formats which we want to support which i have kept inside web.config

<add key="DateTimePattern" value="yyyy-MM-dd,yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss zzz,yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss" />

Let me know for further clarifications.

Answer 2

Use DataContractJsonSerializer constructor to pass your serialization settings:

    var s = new DataContractJsonSerializer(
            typeof(YourTypeToSerialize),
            new DataContractJsonSerializerSettings
            {
                DateTimeFormat = new DateTimeFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss")
            }
        );