How to decode multi record JSON string

rtcary

I am new to JSON and I want to store multi records in JSON format and then be able to loop through the records.

Here is what I am trying to do:

<?php
$json = '{"first_name":"Todd","last_name":"Cary","nick_name":"Todd"}';

$json2 = '{"first_name":"Todd","last_name":"Cary","nick_name":"Todd"},
          {"first_name":"David","last_name":"Smith","nick_name":"Dave"}';

$obj = json_decode($json);         

print_r($obj->{'nick_name'});
?>

I do not know how to do the same with $json2 e.g. loop through each record and display "nick_name".

Any help to point me in the right direction would be appreciated.

Todd

NogDog

I would make your JSON an array of objects:

<?php

$json2 = '[
	{"first_name":"Todd","last_name":"Cary","nick_name":"Todd"},
	{"first_name":"David","last_name":"Smith","nick_name":"Dave"}
]';

$data = json_decode($json2);
foreach ($data as $record) {
	echo $record->first_name.' ('.$record->nick_name.') '.$record->last_name.PHP_EOL;
}

rtcary

Many thanks!

Todd

sneakyimp

If I were you, I would avoid manually typing any JSON at all. I would create arrays and objects and rely on [man]json_encode[/man] to write the JSON. Otherwise, it's very easy to make mistakes that cause your JSON to be invalid.

On second thought, I see how manually typing JSON code might actually be a little easier than the PHP syntax -- as long as you don't have any quotes in your data that you have to escape.

NogDog

Or, if using a recent enough version of PHP, you could use it's shortened array syntax to make something almost JSON-like that is actually a PHP array:

$data = [
	["first_name" => "Todd", "last_name" => "Cary", "nick_name" => "Todd"],
	["first_name" => "David", "last_name" => "Smith", "nick_name" => "Dave"]
];

foreach ($data as $record) {
	echo $record['first_name'].' ('.$record['nick_name'].') '.$record['last_name'].PHP_EOL;
}

rtcary

Thank you...great idea. In fact, I went the way of JSON. Actually, I really need a text DB since the data will drive the creation of a report. Here is what I have:

$layout = '{"Layout": [
  {"attr":"first_name","line":1,"x":0,"strong":1},
  {"attr":"last_name","line":1,"x":40,"strong":1}  

]}';

$oLayout = json_decode($layout, TRUE); 

// Get the "attr" values
foreach ($oLayout as $layout) {
  foreach($layout as $key => $value) {
    print_r($value["attr"] . "<br>");
  }
}

I still have not mastered the syntax of php arrays. I understand the above, however, is it possible to access the "attr" of, let's say, the second $oLayout (index = 1) is one line of code?

Todd

Weedpacket

$oLayout[1]['attr']

rtcary

Unfortunately, that gives a blank result, and it is one of the many syntax's I have tried.

Many thanks for responding.

Weedpacket

Oh, I missed that the JSON has the array wrapped in an object. You don't want to loop over [font=monospace]$oLayout[/font], you want to loop over [font=monospace]$oLayout['Layout'][/font].

rtcary

Weedpacket -

This works:

print_r($oLayout['Layout'][1]["attr"]); //!!!

Where I am lost is in the concepts of objects and arrays, php style. When I create a class (e.g. myClass), I then do

$myInstance = new $myClass();

When I refer to the Object, $myInstance, I use

$x = $myInstance->myFunction();

I'm use to the "->" and obviously it does not get used here.

Thank you again...

Todd

Derokorian

The second argument to [man]json_decode[/man] forces associated arrays when set to true, instead of instances of StdClass.

rtcary

Ahhh says this blind man....

Many thanks....

Todd