Question

I get this error when I try to Serialize my custom dataset.
What am I doing wrong, surly it should be simple?

Thanks

error
A circular reference was detected while serializing an object of type ‘System.Globalization.CultureInfo’.

 Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
            Dim arrayJson As String = serializer.Serialize(makeMYDataSET())

    Private Function makeMYDataSET() As DataSet


        ' Two DataTables.
        Dim table1 As DataTable = New DataTable("patients")
        table1.Columns.Add("name")
        'table1.Columns.Add("id")
        table1.Rows.Add("sam")
        table1.Rows.Add("mark")
        table1.Rows.Add("hjhkhkh")

        Dim table2 As DataTable = New DataTable("medications")
        'table2.Columns.Add("id")
        table2.Columns.Add("medication")
        table2.Rows.Add("atenolol")
        table2.Rows.Add("amoxicillin")

        ' Create a DataSet. Put both tables in it.
        Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office")
        set1.Tables.Add(table1)
        set1.Tables.Add(table2)


        Return set1

    End Function

Answer 1

It’s not possible to use the JavaScriptSerializer on a plain DataSet.

---

One way is to convert your DataSet to XML, or better, convert it to a Dictionary first.

You can use this method (example from CodeProject):

Function DataSetToJSON(ds As DataSet) As String
    Dim dict = New Dictionary(Of String, Object)

    For Each dt As DataTable In ds.Tables
        Dim arr(dt.Rows.Count) As Object

        For i = 0 To dt.Rows.Count - 1
            arr(i) = dt.Rows(i).ItemArray
        Next

        dict.Add(dt.TableName, arr)
    Next

    Dim json = New JavaScriptSerializer
    Return json.Serialize(dict)
End Function

Example

 DataSetToJSON(makeMYDataSET())

Result

{“patients”:[[“sam”],[“mark”],[“hjhkhkh”],null],”medications”:[[“atenolol”],[“amoxicillin”],null]}