-Changed serializer to fallback to use a private default constructor

-Changed error message when deserializing a JSON object/array onto the wrong kind of type to be more descriptive

Doc/SerializationSettings.html

@@ -405,10 +405,11 @@ DefaultValueHandling controls how Json.NET uses default values set using the .NE
             <div class="summary">
              By default Json.NET will first look for a constructor 
                 marked with the JsonConstructorAttribute, then look for a public default 
-                constructor (a constructor that doesn't take any arguments) and finally check if 
-                the class has a single public constructor with arguments. If the class has 
-                multiple public constructors with arguments an error will be thrown. This can be 
-                fixed by marking one of the constructors with the JsonConstructorAttribute.
+                constructor (a constructor that doesn't take any arguments), then check if 
+                the class has a single public constructor with arguments and finally check
+                for a non-public default constructor. If the class has multiple public
+                constructors with arguments an error will be thrown. This can be fixed by
+                marking one of the constructors with the JsonConstructorAttribute.
             </div>
             <br>
           </td>
@@ -419,8 +420,8 @@ DefaultValueHandling controls how Json.NET uses default values set using the .NE
           </td>
           <td>
             <div class="summary">
-             Json.NET will fallback to 
-                using a classes private default constructor if available.
+             Json.NET will use a classes private default constructor before constructors
+             with arguments if available.
             </div>
             <br>
           </td>

Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/PerformanceTests.cs

@@ -703,21 +703,6 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Tests
         }, "JObject.ToString");
     }
 
-    [Test]
-    public void RecursiveLoop()
-    {
-      JArray a1 = new JArray();
-      JArray a2 = new JArray();
-      JArray a3 = new JArray();
-      JArray a4 = new JArray();
-
-      a1.Add(a2);
-      a2.Add(a3);
-      a3.Add(a4);
-
-
-    }
-
     [Test]
     public void NestedJToken()
     {

Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs

@@ -72,5 +72,5 @@ using System.Security;
 // by using the '*' as shown below:
 [assembly: AssemblyVersion("4.0.8.0")]
 #if !PocketPC
-[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("4.0.8.14707")]
+[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("4.0.8.14710")]
 #endif

Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/ConstructorHandlingTests.cs

@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.Serialization
   public class ConstructorHandlingTests : TestFixtureBase
   {
     [Test]
-    [ExpectedException(typeof(JsonSerializationException), ExpectedMessage = "Unable to find a constructor to use for type Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects.PrivateConstructorTestClass. A class should either have a default constructor, one constructor with arguments or a constructor marked with the JsonConstructor attribute. Line 1, position 6.")]
-    public void FailWithPrivateConstructorAndDefault()
+    public void UsePrivateConstructorIfThereAreMultipleConstructorsWithParametersAndNothingToFallbackTo()
     {
       string json = @"{Name:""Name!""}";
 
-      JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<PrivateConstructorTestClass>(json);
+      var c = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<PrivateConstructorTestClass>(json);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual("Name!", c.Name);
     }
 
     [Test]

Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/JsonSerializerTest.cs

@@ -1905,7 +1905,9 @@ keyword such as type of business.""
     }
 
     [Test]
-    [ExpectedException(typeof (JsonSerializationException), ExpectedMessage = @"Cannot deserialize JSON array into type 'Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects.Person'. Line 1, position 1.")]
+    [ExpectedException(typeof(JsonSerializationException), ExpectedMessage = @"Cannot deserialize JSON array (i.e. [1,2,3]) into type 'Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects.Person'.
+The deserialized type must be an array or implement a collection interface like IEnumerable, ICollection or IList.
+To force JSON arrays to deserialize add the JsonArrayAttribute to the type. Line 1, position 1.")]
     public void CannotDeserializeArrayIntoObject()
     {
       string json = @"[]";
@@ -1914,7 +1916,9 @@ keyword such as type of business.""
     }
 
     [Test]
-    [ExpectedException(typeof (JsonSerializationException), ExpectedMessage = @"Cannot deserialize JSON object into type 'System.Collections.Generic.List`1[Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects.Person]'. Line 1, position 2.")]
+    [ExpectedException(typeof (JsonSerializationException), ExpectedMessage = @"Cannot deserialize JSON object (i.e. {""name"":""value""}) into type 'System.Collections.Generic.List`1[Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects.Person]'.
+The deserialized type should be a normal .NET type (i.e. not a primitive type like integer, not a collection type like an array or List<T>) or a dictionary type (i.e. Dictionary<TKey, TValue>).
+To force JSON objects to deserialize add the JsonObjectAttribute to the type. Line 1, position 2.")]
     public void CannotDeserializeObjectIntoArray()
     {
       string json = @"{}";
@@ -5550,9 +5554,37 @@ Parameter name: value")]
       Assert.AreEqual("Pre", c2.PreField);
       Assert.AreEqual("Post", c2.PostField);
     }
+
+    [Test]
+    public void PrivateConstructor()
+    {
+      var person = PersonWithPrivateConstructor.CreatePerson();
+      person.Name = "John Doe";
+      person.Age = 25;
+
+      var serializedPerson = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(person);
+      var roundtrippedPerson = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<PersonWithPrivateConstructor>(serializedPerson);
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(person.Name, roundtrippedPerson.Name);
+    }
 #endif
   }
 
+  public class PersonWithPrivateConstructor
+  {
+    private PersonWithPrivateConstructor()
+    { }
+
+    public static PersonWithPrivateConstructor CreatePerson()
+    {
+      return new PersonWithPrivateConstructor();
+    }
+
+    public string Name { get; set; }
+
+    public int Age { get; set; }
+  }
+
   public class DateTimeWrapper
   {
     public DateTime Value { get; set; }

Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/TestObjects/PrivateConstructorTestClass.cs

@@ -33,5 +33,15 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.TestObjects
     private PrivateConstructorTestClass()
     {
     }
+
+    // multiple constructors with arguments so the serializer doesn't know what to fall back to
+    private PrivateConstructorTestClass(object a)
+    {
+    }
+
+    // multiple constructors with arguments so the serializer doesn't know what to fall back to
+    private PrivateConstructorTestClass(object a, object b)
+    {
+    }
   }
 }

Src/Newtonsoft.Json/ConstructorHandling.cs

@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json
   public enum ConstructorHandling
   {
     /// <summary>
-    /// First attempt to use the public default constructor then fall back to single paramatized constructor.
+    /// First attempt to use the public default constructor, then fall back to single paramatized constructor, then the non-public default constructor.
     /// </summary>
     Default = 0,
     /// <summary>
-    /// Allow Json.NET to use a non-public default constructor.
+    /// Json.NET will use a non-public default constructor before falling back to a paramatized constructor.
     /// </summary>
     AllowNonPublicDefaultConstructor = 1
   }

Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ using System.Security;
 // by using the '*' as shown below:
 [assembly: AssemblyVersion("4.0.8.0")]
 #if !PocketPC
-[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("4.0.8.14707")]
+[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("4.0.8.14710")]
 #endif
 
 [assembly: CLSCompliant(true)]

Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Serialization/JsonContract.cs

@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization
     public Func<object> DefaultCreator { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets or sets a value indicating whether [default creator non public].
+    /// Gets or sets a value indicating whether the default creator is non public.
     /// </summary>
     /// <value><c>true</c> if the default object creator is non-public; otherwise, <c>false</c>.</value>
     public bool DefaultCreatorNonPublic { get; set; }

Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Serialization/JsonSerializerInternalReader.cs

@@ -468,7 +468,9 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization
 #endif
       }
 
-      throw CreateSerializationException(reader, "Cannot deserialize JSON object into type '{0}'.".FormatWith(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, objectType));
+      throw CreateSerializationException(reader, @"Cannot deserialize JSON object (i.e. {{""name"":""value""}}) into type '{0}'.
+The deserialized type should be a normal .NET type (i.e. not a primitive type like integer, not a collection type like an array or List<T>) or a dictionary type (i.e. Dictionary<TKey, TValue>).
+To force JSON objects to deserialize add the JsonObjectAttribute to the type.".FormatWith(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, objectType));
     }
 
     private JsonArrayContract EnsureArrayContract(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, JsonContract contract)
@@ -478,7 +480,9 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization
 
       JsonArrayContract arrayContract = contract as JsonArrayContract;
       if (arrayContract == null)
-        throw CreateSerializationException(reader, "Cannot deserialize JSON array into type '{0}'.".FormatWith(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, objectType));
+        throw CreateSerializationException(reader, @"Cannot deserialize JSON array (i.e. [1,2,3]) into type '{0}'.
+The deserialized type must be an array or implement a collection interface like IEnumerable, ICollection or IList.
+To force JSON arrays to deserialize add the JsonArrayAttribute to the type.".FormatWith(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, objectType));
 
       return arrayContract;
     }
@@ -954,8 +958,12 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization
         newObject = contract.OverrideConstructor.Invoke(null);
       }
       else if (contract.DefaultCreator != null &&
-        (!contract.DefaultCreatorNonPublic || Serializer.ConstructorHandling == ConstructorHandling.AllowNonPublicDefaultConstructor))
+        (!contract.DefaultCreatorNonPublic || Serializer.ConstructorHandling == ConstructorHandling.AllowNonPublicDefaultConstructor || contract.ParametrizedConstructor == null))
       {
+        // use the default constructor if it is...
+        // public
+        // non-public and the user has change constructor handling settings
+        // non-public and there is no other constructor
         newObject = contract.DefaultCreator();
       }
       else if (contract.ParametrizedConstructor != null)