Decode data as [String: String] while value can have json in it

Question

So I have JSON, which has string keys and values which can be either strings or custom JSON, when I put json there (even if I put it in quotes) JSONDecoder throws an error "The given data was not valid JSON.", when there is a string everything is okay, is there maybe some decodable extension which can help with that? Coding Keys unfortunately not an option here. Example of json

"""
    {
        "someKey":"{
            "key1":"value1",
            "key2":"value2"
        }"
    }
"""

Decoding simply as

try JSONDecoder().decode([String: String].self, from: json)

Could you please provide an example of JSON, and of the code you are using ? Thank you very much ! — Pierre
– Pierre, Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 12:03
The JSON is indeed invalid because inside the second level JSON the double quotes must be escaped. — vadian
– vadian, Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 12:44
I got that, but the error The given data was not valid JSON means what it says. Valid JSON is "someKey":"{\"key1\":\"value1\",\ "key2\":\"value2\"}"` — vadian
– vadian, Commented Oct 25, 2022 at 13:07

Pierre · Accepted Answer · 2022-10-25 12:23:41Z

1

First, there are quotes to remove :

"""
    {
        "someKey":{
            "key1":"value1",
            "key2":"value2"
        }
    }
"""

Secondly, you will have to provide a more exact model :

import Foundation

var json = """
    {
        "someKey":{
            "key1":"value1",
            "key2":"value2"
        }
    }
"""

struct YourStructure: Codable
{
    var someKey: [String:String]
}

let result = try JSONDecoder().decode(YourStructure.self, from: json.data(using: .utf8)!)

JSONDecoder is not really designed for JSON with unknown model. If you would like to parse JSON for which you do not know the model before, you will have to use another library. I personnally use https://github.com/zoul/generic-json-swift .

edited Oct 25, 2022 at 12:23

answered Oct 25, 2022 at 12:18

Pierre

4615 silver badges14 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Joakim Danielson Over a year ago

Isn't the whole point of the question the fact that the quotes are there and how to handle them? I think you should assume the json is from an external source so manually removing the quotes in an editor is hardly an option then.

Pierre Over a year ago

Well, I missed a bit context, but in this case, he would just have to declare someKey as string, then decode again the json inside as a [String:String] (let result2 = try JSONDecoder().decode([String:String].self, from: result.someKey.data(using: .utf8)!)).

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Decode data as [String: String] while value can have json in it

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related