c# - Can not deserialize JSON containing $ref keys -

i have following code trying deserialize json string , library gives me error:

additional content found in json reference object. json reference object should have $ref property. path 'user.obj', line 1, position 34.

any idea wrong? (i understand complaining second $ref, don't know why.) workaround ?

void main() {     var s = "{\"user\": {\"$ref\": \"123456\", \"obj\": {\"$ref\": \"123456\"}}}";     jsonconvert.deserializeobject<root>(s).dump(); }  // define other methods , classes here public class root {     [jsonproperty("user")]     public user user { get; set; } }  public class user {     [jsonpropertyattribute("$ref")]     public string ref { get; set; }      [jsonpropertyattribute("obj")]     public obj obj { get; set; } }  public class obj {     [jsonpropertyattribute("$ref")]     public string ref { get; set; } } 

json.net uses $ref along $id metadata preserve object references in json. when sees $ref assumes property not part of actual json property set, internal identifier referring matching $id somewhere else in json. since usage of $ref different json.net expects see, throwing error.

update

in json.net version 6.0.4 , later, there setting can instruct deserializer treat these metadata properties normal properties instead of consuming them. need set metadatapropertyhandling setting ignore , deserialize usual.

var settings = new jsonserializersettings(); settings.metadatapropertyhandling = metadatapropertyhandling.ignore;  var obj = jsonconvert.deserializeobject<formdefinitionlist>(json, settings); 

prior version 6.0.4, workaround needed solve issue. if cannot upgrade lastest version of json.net, see my answer similar question possible solutions.