POST Array through JSON foreach

Question

The question:

I have this array coming through a POST field

{"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"}

I want to split it apart and run it through an array, so the end result would be

name sample
email [email protected]
comments test

What I have tried is this:

$a = $_POST['rawRequest'];
$a = json_encode($a);
foreach ($a as $k => $v) {
    echo "\$a[$k] => $v <br />";
}

But it doesn't do anything, however when I test it with this variable (over using the POST)

$a = array("name" => 1,"email" => 2,"sample" => 3);

It works as expected.

Trying to understand what is going on

It is obviously because what I am dealing with here is two different types of array. However after endless google'ing I can't find anywhere which explains the difference (of the arrays below basically). So +1 to an explination which makes my relatively newbie mind understand what is happening and why it is wrong

{"name"=>"sample","email"=>"[email protected]"=>"comments":"test"}

{"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"}

Wait a minute. What is the raw input you get from $_POST['rawRequest']? You are calling json_encode() which doesn't make sense here. What is the value you started with from $_POST? — Michael Berkowski
– Michael Berkowski, Commented Feb 12, 2014 at 19:32
This is the value of that post field : {"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"} — tim.baker
– tim.baker, Commented Feb 12, 2014 at 19:33
Ah, then you need to json_decode() it, not json_encode(). — Michael Berkowski
– Michael Berkowski, Commented Feb 12, 2014 at 19:34
@MichaelBerkowski The reason encode is in there is because I thought (possibly incorrectly) this is a string which needs to be converted in to a string — tim.baker
– tim.baker, Commented Feb 12, 2014 at 19:34

TheDev · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-12 19:35:50Z

2

$aa Isn't a array, is a JSON:

$a = $_POST['rawRequest'];
$aa = json_encode($a);

Thus, you can't use foreach in $aa.

answered Feb 12, 2014 at 19:35

TheDev

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Comments

Quixrick · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-12 19:34:13Z

1

If you want to decode a json string into an array instead of an object, use the 'Array' flag.

$array = json_decode($json_string, true);

answered Feb 12, 2014 at 19:34

Quixrick

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Comments

Abhik Chakraborty · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-12 19:42:50Z

1

Try as

$data = '{"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"}';
$json = json_decode($data,true);
foreach($json as $key=>$val){
 echo $key." - ".$val;
    echo "<br />";
}

Check the output here

http://phpfiddle.org/main/code/ytn-kp0

You have done as

echo "\$a[$k] => $v <br />";

This would output as

$a[name] => sample

"$a" will be considered as string

You can do the way you are doing but you need to change the echo something as

echo $k ."=>" .$v. "<br />";

Since you are looping the array using foreach and $k will contain the key of the array and $v will be the value !!

edited Feb 12, 2014 at 19:42

answered Feb 12, 2014 at 19:34

Abhik Chakraborty

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4 Comments

Sterling Archer Over a year ago

You should explain why this would work instead of saying "try this"

tim.baker Over a year ago

Thanks, I will give this a go. However I would appreciate a explanation as @RUJordan says. I want to learn what is actually happening rather than endlessly copying and pasting :)

SomeKittens Over a year ago

@tim.baker I like you.

Abhik Chakraborty Over a year ago

Yes added the answer with the explanation !!

TURTLE · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-12 20:36:12Z

I have Json decoded the encoded array and looped it through a foreach below with comments explaining what each part does.

/* The Json encoded array.*/
$json = '{"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"}';

/* Decode the Json (back to a PHP array) */
$decode = json_decode($json, true);

/* Loop through the keys and values of the array */
foreach ($decode as $k => $v) {
   $new_string .= $k . ' | ' . $v . '<br/>';
}

/* Show the result on the page */
echo $new_string;

The above code returns the following;

name | sample
email | [email protected]
comments | test

If you want to access the array values one by one you can also use the following code.

/* The Json encoded array.*/
$json = '{"name":"sample","email":"[email protected]","comments":"test"}';

/* Decode the Json (back to a PHP array) */
$decode = json_decode($json, true);

echo $decode['name'];//returns sample
echo $decode['email'];//returns [email protected]
echo $decode['comments'];//returns test

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