How does the JsonLocalization plugin interact with custom JSON converters in MvvmCross

Understanding the Components

- JsonLocalization Plugin: This plugin is primarily used for loading JSON files that contain localized text. It does not directly interact with custom JSON converters but relies on the JSON plugin for serialization and deserialization tasks[1].

- Json Plugin: This plugin provides a wrapper for a PCL version of the Newtonsoft.Json library, allowing it to support JSON serialization and deserialization across platforms. It can be used to serialize and deserialize objects using custom converters[2].

- Custom JSON Converters: These are classes that derive from `JsonConverter` and are used to customize the serialization and deserialization of specific types. They can be used with the Json plugin to handle complex or custom data types[5].

Interaction with Custom JSON Converters

While the JsonLocalization plugin does not directly use custom JSON converters, the underlying Json plugin can be configured to use them. Here’s how they might interact indirectly:

1. Serialization and Deserialization of Localized Data: If the localized data stored in JSON files needs to be serialized or deserialized into custom objects, the Json plugin can be used with custom converters. This would allow for the conversion of complex data types within the localized JSON files.

2. Customizing Localization Data: If the localization data itself requires custom serialization or deserialization (e.g., handling specific date formats or custom data structures), custom converters can be used with the Json plugin to achieve this.

Example Usage

To use custom JSON converters with the Json plugin in the context of localization, you would typically follow these steps:

1. Create a Custom Converter: Implement a custom converter class that inherits from `JsonConverter`, where `T` is the type you want to customize serialization for.

2. Register the Converter: Ensure that the custom converter is registered with the JSON serializer. This might involve setting up the serializer options to use your custom converter.

3. Use with Json Plugin: When serializing or deserializing data using the Json plugin, ensure that it uses the serializer options configured with your custom converter.

Here is a simplified example of creating a custom converter for a `DateTime` type:

csharp
using Newtonsoft.Json;

public class CustomDateTimeConverter : JsonConverter
{
    public override bool CanConvert(Type objectType)
    {
        return objectType == typeof(DateTime);
    }

    public override object ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, object existingValue, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        return DateTime.Parse(reader.Value.ToString());
    }

    public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, object value, JsonSerializer serializer)
    {
        writer.WriteValue(((DateTime)value).ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"));
    }
}

Then, when using the Json plugin to serialize or deserialize data, you can configure it to use this custom converter:

csharp
var serializer = Mvx.IoCProvider.Resolve();
var settings = new JsonSerializerSettings { Converters = { new CustomDateTimeConverter() } };
// Use settings with serializer

Conclusion

While the JsonLocalization plugin itself does not directly interact with custom JSON converters, the underlying Json plugin can be used with custom converters to handle complex serialization and deserialization tasks. This allows developers to customize how localized data is processed within their MvvmCross applications.