Retrieving Values from Nested Array

Question

Using an application's API, I'm able to retrieve data as a JSON and put it in an array.

$json = file_get_contents($url);
$obj = json_decode($json);
print_r($obj);

When I print the array, I see:

stdClass Object(
    [metadataList] = > stdClass Object(
        [metadata] = > Array(
                [0] = > stdClass Object([metadataName] = > category [metadataValue] = > RECIPES)
                [1] = > stdClass Object([metadataName] = > title [metadataValue] = > Easy Sugar Cookies)
            )
        )
)

I need to set a variable equal to the title metadata value ("Easy Sugar Cookies"), but I'm having some trouble.

Here's where I am so far, but I'm not having any luck figuring out how to specify the specific metadataValue key, since there is more than one in the array.

$title = array_search('description',($obj->{'metadataList'}->{'metadata'}));

if i'm not mistaken , array_search won't help you because that string is in an Object. — Ofir Baruch
– Ofir Baruch, Commented Feb 28, 2012 at 14:56
So you jsut want that value? .. Or do you need all values that might be a title? $obj->metadataList->metadata[1]->metadataValue (direct) or (expensive) foreach($obj->metadataList->metadata as $meta) { if($meta->metadatavalue == ... } — Gavin
– Gavin, Commented Feb 28, 2012 at 15:02

Query Master · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-28 15:22:40Z

1

I think this is you have want...

$obj = json_decode($json, true);
$value = '';
  foreach($obj['metadataList']['metaData'] as $metadata) {
  if($metadata['metadataName'] === 'someName') {
    $value = $metadata['metadataValue'];
    break;
  }
   continue ;

}

answered Feb 28, 2012 at 15:22

Query Master

7,1226 gold badges37 silver badges58 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

Felix Kling Over a year ago

The continue statement is superfluous.

Felix Kling · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-28 14:58:19Z

0

$obj->{'metadataList'}->{'metadata'} is an array of objects, not of strings. Hence array_search(string, array) won't work (apart from the fact, that there is no string description in this array/object structure).

I suggest you parse the data as array instead (object works fine as well though) and simply iterate over the array:

$obj = json_decode($json, true);
$value = '';
foreach($obj['metadataList']['metaData'] as $metadata) {
    if($metadata['metadataName'] === 'someName') {
        $value = $metadata['metadataValue'];
        break;
    }
}

answered Feb 28, 2012 at 14:58

Felix Kling

820k181 gold badges1.1k silver badges1.2k bronze badges

Comments

Ofir Baruch · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-28 15:00:37Z

0

foreach(($obj->{'metadataList'}->{'metadata'}) as $sub_object)
{
 if(($sub_object->{'metadataName'}) == "title")
  return ($sub_object->{'metadataName'}->{'metadataValue'});
}

answered Feb 28, 2012 at 15:00

Ofir Baruch

10.3k2 gold badges29 silver badges39 bronze badges

Comments

IrishAdo · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-28 15:00:52Z

0

Off the top of my head

$originalValue = "";
foreach($obj->metadataList->metadata as $index=>$metadataInfo){
  if($metadataInfo->metadataName =="title"){
    $originalValue = $obj->metadataList->metadata[$index]->metadataValue;
    $obj->metadataList->metadata[$index]->metadataValue = "hi big boy";
  }
}

answered Feb 28, 2012 at 15:00

IrishAdo

1

1 Comment

IrishAdo Over a year ago

If you are in control of the output of the object then make the metadata an Associative array then you can reference it as $title = $obj->metadataList->metadata["title"];

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Retrieving Values from Nested Array

4 Answers 4

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related