Serialization deserialization

Serialization and deserialization

Passing complex objects in the Query String

ServiceStack uses the JSV-Format (JSON without quotes) to parse QueryStrings.

JSV lets you embed deep object graphs in QueryString as seen this example url:

http://www.servicestack.net/ServiceStack.Examples.Host.Web/ServiceStack/Json/
SyncReply/StoreLogs?Loggers=[{Id:786,Devices:[{Id:5955,Type:Panel,
  Channels:[{Name:Temperature,Value:58},{Name:Status,Value:On}]},
  {Id:5956,Type:Tank,TimeStamp:1199303309,
  Channels:[{Name:Volume,Value:10035},{Name:Status,Value:Full}]}]}]

If you want to change the default binding ServiceStack uses, you can register your own Custom Request Binder.

Custom Media Types

ServiceStack serializes and deserializes your DTOs automatically. If you want to override the default serializers or you want to add a new format, you have to register your own Content-Type:

Register a custom format

string contentType = "application/yourformat"; //To override JSON eg, write "application/json"
var serialize = (IRequestContext requestContext, object response, Stream stream) => ...;
var deserialize = (Type type, Stream stream) => ...;

//In AppHost Configure method
//Pass two delegates for serialization and deserialization
this.ContentTypeFilters.Register(contentType, serialize, deserialize);	

The Protobuf-format shows an example of registering a new format whilst the Northwind VCard Format shows an example of creating a custom media type in ServiceStack.

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Reading in and De-Serializing ad-hoc custom requests

There are 2 ways to deserialize your own custom format, via attaching a custom request binder for a particular service or marking your service with IRequiresRequestStream which will skip auto-deserialization and inject the ASP.NET Request stream instead.

Create a custom request dto binder

You can register custom binders in your AppHost by using the example below:

base.RequestBinders.Add(typeof(MyRequest), httpReq => ... requestDto);

This gives you access to the IHttpRequest object letting you parse it manually so you can construct and return the strong-typed request DTO manually which will be passed to the service instead.

Reading directly from the Request Stream

Instead of registering a custom binder you can skip the serialization of the request DTO, you can add the IRequiresRequestStream interface to directly retrieve the stream without populating the request DTO.

//Request DTO
public class Hello : IRequiresRequestStream
{
    /// <summary>
    /// The raw Http Request Input Stream
    /// </summary>
    Stream RequestStream { get; set; }
}