JSON to PHP Array using file_get_contents

Question

I am trying to fetch the below json content using a magazine api. The output of the json is like this. i want the below json to convert to php array.

{
"bpath": "http://www.sampledomain.com/",
"clist": [
    {
        "cid": "11",
        "display_type": "grid",
        "ctitle": "abc",
        "acount": "71",
        "alist": [
            {
                "aid": "6865",
                "adate": "2 Hours ago",
                "atitle": "test",
                "adesc": "test desc",
                "aimg": "",
                "aurl": "?nid=6865",
                "weburl": "news.php?nid=6865",
                "cmtcount": "0"
            },

            {
                "aid": "6857",
                "adate": "20 Hours ago",
                "atitle": "test1",
      "adesc": "test desc1",
      "aimg": "",
                "aurl": "?nid=6857",
                "weburl": "news.php?nid=6857",
                "cmtcount": "0"
            }
        ]
    },
    {
        "cid": "1",
        "display_type": "grid",
        "ctitle": "test1",
  "acount": "2354",
        "alist": [
            {
                "aid": "6851",
                "adate": "1 Days ago",
                "atitle": "test123",
      "adesc": "test123 desc",
      "aimg": "",
                "aurl": "?nid=6851",
                "weburl": "news.php?nid=6851",
                "cmtcount": "7"
            },
            {
                "aid": "6847",
                "adate": "2 Days ago",
                "atitle": "test12345",
      "adesc": "test12345 desc",
      "aimg": "",
                "aurl": "?nid=6847",
                "weburl": "news.php?nid=6847",
                "cmtcount": "7"
            }
        ]
    },

]
}

My code looks like this.

<?php 
$json_url = "http://api.testmagazine.com/test.php?type=menu";
$json = file_get_contents($json_url);
$data = json_decode($json, TRUE);
echo "<pre>";
print_r($data);
echo "</pre>";
?>

The above code returns an empty array. :( How is it possible to convert the above JSON to php object array. I am helpless.

Thanks Haan

You're probably getting an empty array because the JSON object is malformed. Try validating it via JSONLint. — user554546
– user554546, Commented Mar 2, 2012 at 6:43
@Jack & Aldo - Got my issue fixed . Shivam S.Kara code, finally worked. — hjaffer2001
– hjaffer2001, Commented Mar 2, 2012 at 10:33

P. Galbraith · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-02 06:46:54Z

The JSON sample you provided is not valid. Check it online with this JSON Validator http://jsonlint.com/. You need to remove the extra comma on line 59.

One you have valid json you can use this code to convert it to an array.

json_decode($json, true);

Shivomkara Chaturvedi · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-02 07:04:57Z

14

You JSON is not a valid string as P. Galbraith has told you above.

and here is the solution for it.

<?php 
$json_url = "http://api.testmagazine.com/test.php?type=menu";
$json = file_get_contents($json_url);
$json=str_replace('},

]',"}

]",$json);
$data = json_decode($json);

echo "<pre>";
print_r($data);
echo "</pre>";
?>

Use this code it will work for you.

answered Mar 2, 2012 at 7:04

Shivomkara Chaturvedi

1,6977 gold badges28 silver badges42 bronze badges

2 Comments

Shivomkara Chaturvedi Over a year ago

I know that you are getting data from API so its not possible for you to validate it. But my given code will work for you

Shivomkara Chaturvedi Over a year ago

Can you please choose my answer as a correct answer so that other people can use it.

Sam Arul Raj T · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-02 07:11:25Z

Check some typo ','

<?php
 //file_get_content(url);
$jsonD = '{
    "bpath":"http://www.sampledomain.com/",
    "clist":[{
            "cid":"11",
            "display_type":"grid",
            "ctitle":"abc",
            "acount":"71",
            "alist":[{
                    "aid":"6865",
                    "adate":"2 Hours ago",
                    "atitle":"test",
                    "adesc":"test desc",
                    "aimg":"",
                    "aurl":"?nid=6865",
                    "weburl":"news.php?nid=6865",
                    "cmtcount":"0"
                },
                {
                    "aid":"6857",
                    "adate":"20 Hours ago",
                    "atitle":"test1",
                    "adesc":"test desc1",
                    "aimg":"",
                    "aurl":"?nid=6857",
                    "weburl":"news.php?nid=6857",
                    "cmtcount":"0"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "cid":"1",
            "display_type":"grid",
            "ctitle":"test1",
            "acount":"2354",
            "alist":[{
                    "aid":"6851",
                    "adate":"1 Days ago",
                    "atitle":"test123",
                    "adesc":"test123 desc",
                    "aimg":"",
                    "aurl":"?nid=6851",
                    "weburl":"news.php?nid=6851",
                    "cmtcount":"7"
                },
                {
                    "aid":"6847",
                    "adate":"2 Days ago",
                    "atitle":"test12345",
                    "adesc":"test12345 desc",
                    "aimg":"",
                    "aurl":"?nid=6847",
                    "weburl":"news.php?nid=6847",
                    "cmtcount":"7"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
';

$parseJ = json_decode($jsonD,true);

print_r($parseJ);
?>

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