How Do I: Return JSON Formatted Data for an AJAX Call in an ASP.NET MVC Web Application?

Here are two things to be aware of:

1) You'll need to define a class in the Models folder.

public class Customer

{

public string CustomerName { get; set; }

public string City { get; set; }

}

2) This video works with VS 2008/MVC 1. If you are using MVC 2 or Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2, then you'll need to make a slight adjustment.

// MVC 1 code

public JsonResult GetCustomer()

{

Models.Customer customer = new Models.Customer();

customer.CustomerName = "Microsoft";

customer.City = "Redmond";

return Json(customer);

}

// MVC 2 or VS 2010 Beta 2 code

public JsonResult GetCustomer()

{

Models.Customer customer = new Models.Customer();

customer.CustomerName = "Microsoft";

customer.City = "Redmond";

return Json(mc, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);

}

> return Json(mc, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);

Do you mean this?:

return Json(customer, JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);

Gardavis,

Thanks for the correction. I forgot to change mc to customer.

Short but helpfull video, thanks.

"Chris Pels shows how to use the JsonResult and Json classes to return instances of classes as JSON formatted data."

(1) a transcript of each video would be useful.

(2) assuming that these videos are for BEGINNERs too,

it would be a very good idea to briefly say

(a) what JSON is, and

(b) when and why one might use JSON.

http://json.org/

"JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format.

... easy for humans to read and write.

... easy for machines to parse and generate.

... based on a subset of the JavaScript ...

JSON is a text format that is completely language independent ...

... JSON an ideal data-interchange language."

It is important in learning materials to explain "why" and not just "how"; example, in the sixth minute, Chris talks about a JSON function and an object in JSON format without explaining either. In the seventh minute, Chris say "Let's use jQuery ..." without saying why jQuery* instead of for example, just JavaScript.

*jQuery [http://jquery.com/] "... a fast and concise JavaScript Library ..."

There is an ancient and well worn teaching paradigm that is seldom used in Microsoft videos:

(a) tell the student the lesson plan and goals

(b) deliver (a)

(c) recapitulate (b)

Regards,

Gerry (Lowry)