c# .net 6 JSON saves with escapes and qouble quote start and end

Question

For the life of me I cannot figure out why a serialized string of correct json is saving with qouble quotes and escapes.

Example data: string variable sent to serializer:

{"cidrs":[{"cidr":null,"failed":1,"firstSeen":null,"lastSeen":null}]}

Saved from string variable:

"{\"cidrs\":[{\"cidr\":null,\"failed\":1,\"firstSeen\":null,\"lastSeen\":null}]}"

Example method writing to file:

using (StreamWriter sw = File.AppendText(CIDRTrackingLocation))
 {
     sw.WriteLine(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(serialized));
 }

that's it, super basic but some reason ruining the saved JSON string.

tried loading string into a new string variable then writing that new string. Sent dummy data directly to method within double quotes, shows the same as mentioned but writes with double quotes and escapes.

Answer 1

You have to serialize object instead of string. There is no sense in serializing of JSON string. You can output it to stream as is. Example of object serialization:

using System;
using Newtonsoft.Json;

public class CidrData
{
    public string cidr { get; set; }
    public int failed { get; set; }
    public DateTime? firstSeen { get; set; }
    public DateTime? lastSeen { get; set; }
}

public class RootObject
{
    public CidrData[] cidrs { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var data = new RootObject
        {
            cidrs = new[]
            {
                new CidrData
                {
                    cidr = null,
                    failed = 1,
                    firstSeen = null,
                    lastSeen = null
                }
            }
        };

        // Serialize the object to JSON with formatting
        string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(data, Formatting.Indented);

        Console.WriteLine(json);
    }
}