Returning a JSON object from a PageMethod with custom formatting

Question

Is it possible to format how an object is returned as JSON from a PageMethod? ie. removing the first "d" element from the data, without writing the JSON from scratch.

From { "d": { "name": "bob", "email": "bob@example.com" } }

To { "name": "bob", email: "bob@example.com" }

Answer 1

No. Microsoft's JSON serializer adds the d for some reason on the server side, and the client-side AJAX code that deserializes the JSON string expects it to be there.

Answer 2

The extra "d" parameter is added by the .NET framework as an added security measure against XSS attacks [source]. It's included when the "Content-Type" of the request specifies "application/json".

I think you can get the framework to exclude it (ie don't wrap the result in the "d") if you simply specifying the "Content-Type" of the request as something other than "application/json". Try removing that header from the request (if you can) and seeing what .NET returns.