c# - Reversing the save method in the Open method -

fairly new programming. can't wrap head around how work in reverse. have save method , open method. save:

idictionary<string, idictionary<string, object>> pluginstates = new dictionary<string, idictionary<string, object>>(); signaller.raisesaverequest(pluginstates); <--goes out , gets packed plugins  //loop through plugins values , types //holds of plugin arrays dictionary<string, object> dictprojectstate = new dictionary<string, object>();  foreach (keyvaluepair<string,idictionary<string,object>> plugin in pluginstates) {      //holds jsonrepresented values     dictionary<string, object> dictjsonrep = new dictionary<string, object>();      //holds object types     dictionary<string, object> dictobjrep = new dictionary<string, object>();      object[] arraydictholder = new object[2];  //holds of dictionaries     string pluginkey = plugin.key;     idictionary<string, object> pluginvalue = new dictionary<string, object>();      pluginvalue = plugin.value;      foreach (keyvaluepair<string, object> element in pluginvalue)     {         string jsonrepresentation = jsonconvert.serializeobject(element);         object objtype = element.value.gettype().tostring();         dictjsonrep.add(element.key, jsonrepresentation);         dictobjrep.add(element.key, objtype);     }     arraydictholder[0] = dictjsonrep;     arraydictholder[1] = dictobjrep;     dictprojectstate.add(pluginkey, arraydictholder); }  jsonserializer serializer = new jsonserializer(); using (streamwriter sw = new streamwriter(strpathname)) using (jsonwriter writer = new jsontextwriter(sw)) {      serializer.serialize(writer, dictprojectstate); } 

so, when saves, event handler goes out , gets packedstate of each plugin, adds dictionary pluginstates. go through each plugin in pluginstates, adding key, , json string version of value 1 dictionary , key, object type dictionary, add 2 dictionaries array , pack dictionary contains pluginkey , array each plugin. reasoning: when deserializing, i'm hitting problems going jarray type datatable , other types within dictionary gets passed plugin unpack upon opening. i'm trying figure out how reverse this, when user opens project, have dictprojectstate , need bring way through code end 1 dictionary containing plugins. how mirror save in open?? thanks!

i believe when deserialize in open function, should object can cast dictionary<string, object>.

the keys of dictionary names of plugins in final dictioary (pluginkey in yoru save method). values should object[] arraydictholder objects. can cast them object[] , @ 2 values inside (dictjsonrep , dictobjrep in save function).

once values both cast dictionary<string, object>(), can iterate through keyvaluepairs in 1 of them, , use key pairs @ value store in other dictionary.

code similar following:

var pluginstates = new dictionary<string, idictionary<string, object>>();  var dictprojectstate = jsonserializer.deserialize(reader) dictionary<string, object>;  foreach(var projectstatepair in dictprojectstate) {     string pluginkey = projectstatepair.key;     var pluginvalues = new dictionary<string, object>();     object[] arraydictholder = projectstatepair.value object[];     var dictjsonrep = arraydictholder[0] dictionary<string, object>;     var dictobjrep =  arraydictholder[1] dictionary<string, object>;     foreach(var jsonreppair in dictjsonrep)     {         string jsonrepresentation = jsonreppair.value;         // know both dictionaries have same keys,         // objtype jsonrepresentation         object objtype = dictobjrep[jsonreppair.key];         // since you're serializing objtype string, you'll need         // actual type before calling deserializeobject.         type jsontype = system.type.gettype(objtype string);         object value = jsonconvert.deserializeobject( jsonrepresentation, jsontype );         pluginvalues.add( jsonreppair.key );     }     pluginstates.add( pluginkey, pluginvalues ); } 

note: setting objtype element.value.gettype().tostring(); in save function. either need update save() set element.value.gettype(); or convert type strings actual types before trying deserialize.

note: not familiar json libraries. above code focused on creating pluginstates dictionary out of deserialized results. need handle creation of jsonserializer , make sure close streams after you've deserialized them. may need tweak actual deserialization calls desired results.

update: added conversion of objtype actual system.type object.