Is it possible to format a dictionary?

[iliashkolyar]

Hello,
I'm using an old version (2.5.3) in which I am overriding the default braces - Smart.Default.Parser.UseAlternativeBraces('±', '§');

I'm using it to create dynamic JSON payloads constructed by received parameters, for example:

var stringToFormat = "{\"summary\": \"±body.summary§\", \"something\": \"±body.somethingElse§\"}";
var values = new {
    body = new { summary = "SUMMARY", something = "SOMETHING"} 
};

var formattedString = Smart.Format(stringToFormat, values);

Now this works great with nested values dictionary and even works properly for lists (with some workaround that I had to do because #321 didn't work in this version).

Question is, is it possible to inject a Dictionary<string, object> similarly to the way we add a list?
Something like this:

const string stringToFormat = "{\"dict\": [±field§]}";
var values = new {
    field = new Dictionary<string, object> {
        ["something"] = new { id = "123"}
    }
};

Currently, it just calls the ToString of the Dictionary<string, object> and I receive:

{"dict": [System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.Object]]}

Is there some way of making the Dictionary actually format its keys and values according to their ToString instead of performing the ToString on the dictionary itself?

In the above example, I would like to receive:

{"dict": {"something": {"id": "123"}}}

Hope I made myself clear,
Thanks!

[axunonb]

The placeholder should be field.something.

[iliashkolyar]

In the example I posted you are indeed correct.
I rechecked my code and in my case it is:

const string stringToFormat = "{\"dict\": [±field.something§]}";
var values = new {
    field = new Dictionary<string, object> {
        ["something"] = new Dictionary<string, string> { ["id"] = "123" }
    }
};

So if the value is a Dictionary<string, object>, I receive the ToString of the dictionary.
If it's a raw object (new { id = "123"}), then it indeed works.

Anyway for it to work with the Dictionary<string, object> as well?

[axunonb]

Yes, using field.something.id should work. Did you try that?

[iliashkolyar]

The idea behind the code is to receive "dynamic" configuration and inject it into the formatter.
From the code point of view, I only know that something represents a Dictionary<string, object>.
I do not know what it will hold and how it is structured.
That is why I need to refer to it just as field.something.

[axunonb]

Without knowing what's inside it is possible to output list members.
This way you could "synchronize" the keys and the values of a dictionary.
It looks like you'll have to implement a custom IFormatter that will handle your scenario for "unknown structure".