Converting an NSArray of Dictionaries to JSON array in iOS

Question

I need to send an NSArray to the server in the JSON array format. How can I convert it to JSON. This is a sample of my NSArray that I have to pass.

array([0] => array('latitude'=>'10.010490', 
                  'longitude'=>'76.360779', 
                   'altitude'=>'30.833334', 
                  'timestamp'=>'11:17:23', 
                      'speed'=>'0.00', 
                   'distance'=>'0.00');

[1] => array('latitude'=>'10.010688', 
            'longitude'=>'76.361378', 
             'altitude'=>'28.546305', 
            'timestamp'=>'11:19:26', 
                'speed'=>'1.614', 
             'distance'=>'198.525711')
 )`

and the required format is like this

[
  { "latitude":"10.010490",
   "longitude":"76.360779",
    "altitude":"30.833334",
   "timestamp":"11:17:23", 
       "speed":"0.00",
    "distance":"0.00"
  },    
  {
   "latitude":"10.010688",
  "longitude":"76.361378",
   "altitude":"28.546305",
  "timestamp":"11:19:26",
      "speed":"1.614",
   "distance":"198.525711" 
  }
]

Any one have solution? Thanks in advance.

Prashant Patil · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 13:13:03Z

52

NSDictionary *firstJsonDictionary = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                            @"10.010490", @"latitude",
                            @"76.360779", @"longitude",
                            @"30.833334", @"altitude",
                            @"11:17:23", @"timestamp",
                            @"0.00", @"speed",
                            @"0.00", @"distance",
                            nil];

  NSDictionary *secondJsonDictionary = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                            @"10.010490", @"latitude",
                            @"76.360779", @"longitude",
                            @"30.833334", @"altitude",
                            @"11:17:23", @"timestamp",
                            @"0.00", @"speed",
                            @"0.00", @"distance",
                            nil];

NSMutableArray * arr = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];

[arr addObject:firstJsonDictionary];
[arr addObject:secondJsonDictionary];

NSData *jsonData2 = [NSJSONSerialization dataWithJSONObject:arr options:NSJSONWritingPrettyPrinted error:&error];
NSString *jsonString = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:jsonData2 encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
NSLog(@"jsonData as string:\n%@", jsonString);

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 13:13

Prashant Patil

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2 Comments

Pradumna Patil Over a year ago

It works for me but I want response in array format not in string format.

Prashant Patil Over a year ago

inline 'code [ { "latitude":"10.010490", "longitude":"76.360779", "altitude":"30.833334", "timestamp":"11:17:23", "speed":"0.00", "distance":"0.00" }, { "latitude":"10.010688", "longitude":"76.361378", "altitude":"28.546305", "timestamp":"11:19:26", "speed":"1.614", "distance":"198.525711" } ] ' you will get it in Array format only

Kunal Gupta · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-26 07:32:23Z

5

The simplest and best approach !!!

To convert NSArray or NSMutableArray into jsonString you can first convert it into NSData and then further convert that into a NSString. Use this code

NSData* data = [ NSJSONSerialization dataWithJSONObject:yourArray options:NSJSONWritingPrettyPrinted error:nil ];
NSString *jsonString = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:data encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];

It helped me and hope it helps you as well. All the best.

edited Sep 26, 2017 at 7:32

answered Jun 1, 2016 at 14:08

Kunal Gupta

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1 Comment

brainray Over a year ago

This is the correct answer to the question title. Thanks. The accepted answer shows an array of dictionaries

Janak Nirmal · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 12:49:33Z

4

I would recommend the SBJson-Framework.

Converting an NSMutableArray is as simple as NSString *jsonString = [yourArray JSONRepresentation];

Edit: Jack Farnandish is right u have to transform it into a NSDictionary before you can convert it to Json. In my example the NSMutableArray has to contain the Dictionary. The Array is only needed to create the square brackets at the beginning and the end of the string.

edited Sep 6, 2012 at 12:49

Janak Nirmal

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answered Sep 6, 2012 at 12:26

Shelm

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Comments

E. Lüders · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 12:23:50Z

2

You can use the build in JSON functions of iOS or use an external lib e.g. JSONKit to convert your data to JSON

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 12:23

E. Lüders

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Comments

Lorenzo B · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 12:36:43Z

2

First You must change you structure into NSDictionary class and NSArray containing NSDictionary objects, then try JSONKit in iOS 5 serialization works better than standard NSJSONSerialization.

edited Sep 6, 2012 at 12:36

Lorenzo B

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answered Sep 6, 2012 at 12:29

Jack Farnandish

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jnic · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 12:48:24Z

2

#import <JSONKit/JSON.h>

NSArray *array = // Your array here.
NSString *json = [array JSONString];

NSLog(@"%@", json);

JSONKit performs significantly better than SBJson and others in my own and the author's benchmarks.

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 12:48

jnic

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Comments

Callum Watkins · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-06 16:28:46Z

2

Check this tutorial, JSON in iOS 5.0 was clearly explained (serailization, deserailization).

edited Sep 6, 2016 at 16:28

Callum Watkins

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answered Sep 7, 2012 at 9:54

Durga Vundavalli

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Comments

Dan Morrow · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 13:55:14Z

1

Is the service you are calling a RESTful service?

If so, I'd strongly recommend using RestKit. It does object serialization/deserialization. It also handles all the networking underpinnings. Extremely valuable, and well maintained.

answered Sep 6, 2012 at 13:55

Dan Morrow

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1 Comment

brainray Over a year ago

Using framework for such a simple task is not really a good idea. Update 2016 RestKit is not a maintained framework any more.

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