PHP str_replace doesn't work on JSON string

Question

Im outputting some data as JSON and Im trying to replace the brackets '[' in the output with HTML tags:

$qq = json_decode($html, true);
$qq2 = str_replace("[","<span>",$qq);

print_r($qq2);

It doesn't work, meaning the brackets show up anyway and are not getting replaced. Example output:

 [2] => Array
                                (
                                    [image] => http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/james-clapper.jpg
                                    [query] => (max-width: 480px)
                                    [size] => 80x80#
                                )

I would like to replace the brackets as html tags so the output will be:

 [2] => Array
                                (
                                    <span> image </span> => http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/james-clapper.jpg
                                    <span> query </span> => (max-width: 480px)
                                    <span> size </span> => 80x80#
                                )

It appears as though you're trying to replace the text on an array not a string. us3.php.net/json_decode — RyanS
– RyanS, Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 19:02
Are you saying what I'm trying to do is impossible? Basically Im trying to "prettify" the json by transforming it in HTML tags. Is that not possible like this..? — Youss
– Youss, Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 19:06
As RyanS notes, $qq is an array, not a JSON string. Either way, you shouldn't be using str_replace for this. Simply iterate the array and create a string that has your formatting. — Dave
– Dave, Commented Jan 29, 2014 at 19:07

marcanuy · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-29 19:09:07Z

2

Use http://www.php.net/array_walk after you decode the string to apply str_replace to every member of the array.

answered Jan 29, 2014 at 19:09

marcanuy

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1 Comment

marcanuy Over a year ago

Nice, if you only need to add HTML tags to the array keys, instead of using str_replace you can append and preppend them in the callback function as <span>.$key.</span>

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