server/AyaNova/DataList/AyaDataList.cs

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
             return JArray.Parse($"[ {{\"cm\":\"df\",\"dt\":0,\"ay\":{(int)DefaultListObjectType}}},{{\"cm\":\"Widget\",\"dt\":{(int)AyaUiFieldDataType.Text},\"ay\":{(int)DefaultListObjectType}}}]");
         }
 
-        public string GenerateListColumnsJSONFromTemplate(string template)
+        public object GenerateListColumnsJSONFromTemplate(string template)
         {
             //parse the template
             var jtemplate = JObject.Parse(template);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
             }
             sb.Append("]");
 
-            return sb.ToString();
+            return JArray.Parse(sb.ToString());
         }
 
         //make sure the template parses and all the fields specified are really existant

server/AyaNova/DataList/IAyaDataList.cs

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.DataList
         string DefaultDataListDisplayTemplate { get; set; }
 
         object GenerateMINIListColumnsJSON();
-        string GenerateListColumnsJSONFromTemplate(string template);
+        object GenerateListColumnsJSONFromTemplate(string template);
 
         bool ValidateTemplate(string template);