c# - Posting json to mvc 4 WebApi controller action. Why doesn't it deserialize my array? -

the following has been driving me bit crazy. have found couple of similar problems did not offer solution. trying post json object containing few data items. 1 of them list of object itself. here is:

{ "claimtype":"trade", "claimedproductid":"4", "claiminguserid":"2", "message":"test", "tradeoffers":[   {      "offeredproductid":"7",      "offeredquantity":"5"   },   {      "offeredproductid":"12",      "offeredquantity":"2"   } ] } 

this json validates.

my controller looks this:

public class productcontroller : apicontroller {     [httppost]     public void claim(claimviewmodel claimviewmodel)     {         //do amazing stuff data viewmodel.         //sorry guys. stuff tooo cool posted here see         //not ;-)       } } 

the claimviewmodel posting looks this:

public class claimviewmodel     {     public claim.claimrequesttypes claimtype { get; set; }      public int claimedproductid { get; set; }     public int claiminguserid { get; set; }     public string message { get; set; }     public list<tradeoffer> tradeoffers { get; set; }     } 

for completeness sake, here's tradeoffer class:

public class tradeoffer {     int offeredproductid { get; set; }     int offeredquantity { get; set; } } 

before staring posting javascript, use chrome restconsole test bad boy, can bit better under hood. make request following settings:

• its post request
• the body content type "application/json"
• i send json request payload in raw body

then here's happens: properties on claimviewmodel deserialized nice , easy. however, tradeoffers property instantiated , when debugging shows list count of 2 (so far good) values of objects in list (properties offeredproductid , offeredquantity) 0/zero (not null!)

properties in tradeoffer class private (default access modifier in c#), makes impossible set them outside. try making them public:

public class tradeoffer {     public int offeredproductid { get; set; }     public int offeredquantity { get; set; } }