Why Does My ASP.NET MVC Application Serialize Enums as Numbers Instead of Strings, and How Can I Fix It?

Troubleshooting ASP.NET MVC's Default JSON Serialization of Enums

An ASP.NET MVC application unexpectedly serializes enums as numbers in JSON responses, even though JSON.NET is assumed to be the default serializer. This article diagnoses the root cause and offers solutions.

Understanding the Default Serializer

Contrary to common belief, ASP.NET MVC 4's default JSON serializer is JavaScriptSerializer, not JSON.NET. This explains why the expected string representation of enums isn't occurring. The problem isn't a missing web.config setting.

Implementing JSON.NET as the Default Serializer

To leverage JSON.NET's capabilities and serialize enums as strings, custom configuration is essential. This involves creating a custom JsonNetResult class and configuring it as described in the referenced solutions.

Ensuring Correct Model Binding with JSON.NET

For seamless model binding when using JSON.NET, a custom ValueProviderFactory is required. This custom factory needs to be registered, replacing the default JsonValueProviderFactory, as shown in the provided code examples. The referenced resources provide detailed instructions for this implementation.

The above is the detailed content of Why Does My ASP.NET MVC Application Serialize Enums as Numbers Instead of Strings, and How Can I Fix It?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!