JsonConvert.DeserializeObject error when converting JSON string c#

Question

I have the following json data as a string

 string data = "{\"STARTTIME\":\"12:00\",\"ENGINNEERSIGNATURE\":\"Engineer Signature .jpg\",\"OVERNIGHTS\":\"1\",\"SIGNOUT\":\"Yes\"}"
 var dataOut = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, string>>(data);

I need to convert it to a dictionary object but I get the following error when trying

Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializationException: Error converting value "{"STARTTIME":"12:00","ENGINNEERSIGNATURE":"Engineer Signature .jpg","OVERNIGHTS":"1","SIGNOUT":"Yes"}" to type 'System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.String]'. Path '', line 1, position 119. ---> System.ArgumentException: Could not cast or convert from System.String to System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.String].
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Utilities.ConvertUtils.EnsureTypeAssignable (System.Object value, System.Type initialType, System.Type targetType) [0x00062] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0 
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Utilities.ConvertUtils.ConvertOrCast (System.Object initialValue, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, System.Type targetType) [0x00031] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0 
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalReader.EnsureType (Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReader reader, System.Object value, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonContract contract, System.Type targetType) [0x0008d] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0 
 --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalReader.EnsureType (Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReader reader, System.Object value, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonContract contract, System.Type targetType) [0x000bd] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0 
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalReader.CreateValueInternal (Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReader reader, System.Type objectType, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonContract contract, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonProperty member, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonContainerContract containerContract, Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonProperty containerMember, System.Object existingValue) [0x000d7] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0 
 at Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.JsonSerializerInternalReader.Deserialize (Newtonsoft.Json.JsonReader reader, System.Type objectType, System.Boolean checkAdditionalContent) [0x0007a] in <2781d1b198634655944cdefb18b3309b>:0

Where am I going wrong

• Thili77: add your error also
• user310988: stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-ask "Search, and research...and keep track of what you find. Even if you don't find a useful answer elsewhere on the site, including links to related questions that haven't helped can help others in understanding how your question is different from the rest." "Include any error messages" "If it is possible to create a live example of the problem that you can link to"
• Welsh King: error message added :)
• user310988: I put your code in .net fiddle and it works. dotnetfiddle.net/yVBY89 Which is why "If it is possible to create a live example of the problem that you can link to" is important.
• Anton Komyshan: I test your code and its works correctly. Specify, please, what version of Newtonsoft.Json you use.

Answer 1

Try to use Dictionary<string,object> , this will allow value of JSON to be of any object type. Dictionary<string,string> will only work if all values of JSON object are of type string. But if there is any other value, like array or nested JSON object, it will fail.

Answer 2

Cannot tell for sure what is wrong there, but can you tell me what this small program prints on first two lines in console, run on same machine with your sample code, I can spot two possible problems Newtonsoft version either with you local culture

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Threading;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
namespace test
{
 class Program
 {
 static void Main(string[] args)
 {
 //Your culture
 Console.WriteLine("Your Culture:" + Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture.Name);
 //your JsonConvert Assembly version
 Console.WriteLine("JsonConvert Assembly" + JsonConvertVersion());
 //I guess you have welsh culture, by your nickname
 //Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new System.Globalization.CultureInfo("cy-GB");
 var stringified = "{\"STARTTIME\":\"12:00\",\"ENGINNEERSIGNATURE\":\"Engineer Signature .jpg\",\"OVERNIGHTS\":\"1\",\"SIGNOUT\":\"Yes\"}";
 Console.WriteLine(stringified);
 //Invariant culture witch shoudn't fail
 var settings = new JsonSerializerSettings() { Culture = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture };
 var dataOut = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, string>>(stringified, settings);
 //welsh culture, case I think that is what you are using, but for me is working 
 var settings2 = new JsonSerializerSettings() { Culture = new System.Globalization.CultureInfo("cy-GB", false) };//Welsh 
 var dataOut2 = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Dictionary<string, string>>(stringified, settings2);
 //object with invariant culture
 Console.WriteLine(dataOut);
 //object with welsh culture
 Console.WriteLine(dataOut2);
 Console.WriteLine(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(dataOut));
 Console.WriteLine(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(dataOut2));
 }
 public static string JsonConvertVersion()
 {
 Assembly asm = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(JsonConvert));
 FileVersionInfo fvi = FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(asm.Location);
 return String.Format("{0}.{1}", fvi.FileMajorPart, fvi.FileMinorPart);
 }
 }
}