vb.net - asmx won't return JSON -

i've rewritten old asmx service function still can't return json. returns xml, if use ajax() , set datatype , contenttype json. i'm trying use function jquery datatables. , know there tons of questions of them i've found c# , unable adapt them.

up-to-date pastebin of full asmx file: http://pastebin.com/swxkqgd4

new code

   <webmethod()> _     <webget(responseformat:=webmessageformat.json)> _     public function rptpendingserverrequests() generic.list(of request)         dim _conn sqlconnection = new sqlconnection(connectionstring)         dim _dr sqldatareader         dim sql string = string.empty         sql += "<my query here>"          try             dim _cmd sqlcommand = new sqlcommand(sql, _conn)             _conn.open()             _dr = _cmd.executereader(commandbehavior.closeconnection)              if _dr.hasrows                 dim s request                 dim c new generic.list(of request)                 while _dr.read                     s = new request                     s                         .requestid = _dr("request_id")                         .status = _dr("status")                         .requester = _dr("req_by_user_id")                         .assignee = _dr("user_id")                         .nextaction = _dr("description")                     end                     c.add(s)                 end while                  return c             end if          catch ex exception             msgbox(ex.message)                     _conn.close()         end try      end function 

new class

<serializable()> _ public class request     private _requestid integer     public property requestid() integer                     return _requestid         end         set(byval value integer)             _requestid = value         end set     end property      private _requester string     public property requester() string                     return _requester         end         set(byval value string)             _requester = value         end set     end property      private _requestdate date     public property requestdate() date                     return _requestdate         end         set(byval value date)             _requestdate = value         end set     end property      private _status integer     public property status() integer                     return _status         end         set(byval value integer)             _status = value         end set     end property      private _assignee string     public property assignee() string                     return _assignee         end         set(byval value string)             _assignee = value         end set     end property      private _nextaction string     public property nextaction() string                     return _nextaction         end         set(byval value string)             _nextaction = value         end set     end property   end class 

original code

<webmethod()> _ <webget(responseformat:=webmessageformat.json)> _ public function rptpendingserverrequestsold() dataset     dim connection sqlconnection     dim command sqlcommand     dim adapter new sqldataadapter     dim ds new dataset     dim sql string     sql = ""     sql += "<my query here>"      connection = new sqlconnection(connectionstring)      try         connection.open()         command = new sqlcommand(sql, connection)         adapter.selectcommand = command         adapter.fill(ds)         adapter.dispose()         command.dispose()         connection.close()         return ds      catch ex exception     end try end function 

client

        $('#report').datatable({             "bprocessing": true,             "sajaxsource": 'reportdata.asmx/rptpendingserverrequests'         }); 

since you're calling method js instead of

<webget(responseformat:=webmessageformat.json)> 

use

<scriptmethod(responseformat:=responseformat.json)>  

attribute. don't forget mark webservice class with

<scriptservice()>  

attribute.