JSON.parse() not working on jQuery data object

Question

I get a JSON file via jQuery $.getJSON(url, function(data) { ... and want to parse it with either

var obj = JSON.parse(data);

or

var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(data);

The first line gives me "syntax error" (using IE8, should support JSON.parse), the second gives me "'center' is null or not an object".

This is the valid JSON file I'm using:

{
"center":{"lat":"51.99637","lon":"13.07520"},
"locations":
[
    { "name":"a string","info":"another string" },
    ... some more here ...
]
}

I'm not too familiar with Javascript. What am I doing wrong?

If I use a simple JSON array (= just the content of locations) I get valid data with $.each. Do I have to do something with data before I can use JSON.parse on it?

Denys Séguret · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-14 15:37:55Z

5

The problem is that the name of the function is slightly misleading : it doesn't give you JSON but already a parsed object. What it does is fetch some JSON and parse it for you.

data is a plain javascript object, you don't need to parse it.

answered Feb 14, 2013 at 15:37

Denys Séguret

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5 Comments

Explosion Pills Over a year ago

Should probably be JSON.parseFromString

Denys Séguret Over a year ago

I'd suggest to rename the function as $.fetchSomeJSONAndParseItForMePlease = $.getJSON;

Explosion Pills Over a year ago

Considering how angry people seem to get when someone calls a JavaScript object "JSON," you'd think more people would be up in arms about changing the jQuery method name to $.getJavaScriptDataStructure

Denys Séguret Over a year ago

Yeah, let's make a manifesto web site stop-confusing-people-about-what-is-json-with-your-stupid-function-name.org !

bolero Over a year ago

Ah, cool, works. Thanks for this quick answer! Should have been obvious to me. Sorry for not thinking.

user806273 · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-14 15:38:04Z

2

$.getJSON will parse the data for you - you don't need to parse it manually after the fact.

answered Feb 14, 2013 at 15:38

user806273

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