Angular's http.get is not importing my json file - it is giving a parse error

Question

I've got some JSON that looks like this:

[
     {
         _id: ObjectId("544809736654daf1ea897ca"),
         project: "demo",
         tools: ['ajax', 'javascript', 'html'],
     },
     {
         _id: ObjectId("322148965654daf1ea81ca"),
         project: "trial",
         tools: ['haskell'],
     }
]

I've saved it in a file called items.

I'm trying to import it to my Angular project with this code:

app.service("getItemsService", 
    function($http, $q){
        return {
            getItems: function getItems(){
                return $http.get('data/_items').success(function(data){
                    return data;
                }); 
            }
        }
    }
);

but when I do, I get an error saying:

SyntaxError: Unexpected token _
    at Object.parse (native)

I've tried everything I can think of to fix this - i.e. I've named the file items.json, I changed _id to id, I've tried adding {'Content-Type': 'application/json'} to get() function as a parameter to indicate its JSON. Nothing is working! Any tips?

what does the server side look like? 'data/_items' as the get method looks a little goofy to me. What are you doing with the returned data, where is the error happening? — O'Mutt
– O'Mutt, Commented Nov 13, 2014 at 15:53
Is your issue fixed ? Are you able to accept one of the two proposed answer ? — Rémi Becheras
– Rémi Becheras, Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 9:47

Rémi Becheras · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-13 15:56:28Z

3

Your angular service seems good. It is your "JSON" content file that is not formated as a regular JSON string:

properties as to be strings double quoted
values as to be strings double quoted or object {} or arrays []
functions couldn't be used in json strings (your ObjectId() function)
Last elements in arrays can't finish by a comma as the previous elements

Try this instead :

[
     {
         "_id": "544809736654daf1ea897ca",
         "project": "demo",
         "tools": ["ajax", "javascript", "html"]
     },
     {
         "_id": "322148965654daf1ea81ca",
         "project": "trial",
         "tools": ["haskell"]
     }
]

answered Nov 13, 2014 at 15:56

Rémi Becheras

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1 Comment

Rémi Becheras Over a year ago

You can use this online json parser tool to check your (small) JSON strings or JSON content files.

Boris Charpentier · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-13 16:07:22Z

1

Always try your JSON in a linter in that kind of problem like http://jsonlint.com/ It would have tell you

Parse error on line 2:
[    {        _id: ObjectId("54480
--------------^
Expecting 'STRING', '}'

That is a little less cryptic : it tells you that _id is not a String => you'r missing the "

After that it will tell you that :

Parse error on line 3:
...   {        "_id": ObjectId("5448097366
----------------------^
Expecting 'STRING', 'NUMBER', 'NULL', 'TRUE', 'FALSE', '{', '['

ObjectId is not valid for JSON, you have to find somehting else, like only the id, or all in a String :

[
{
    "_id": "544809736654daf1ea897ca",
    "project": "demo",
    "tools": [
        'ajax',
        'javascript',
        'html'
    ],

},
{
    "_id": "322148965654daf1ea81ca",
    "project": "trial",
    "tools": [
        'haskell'
    ],

}
]

But hey, it's not finish :

Parse error on line 5:
...ols": [            'ajax',            
----------------------^
Expecting 'STRING', 'NUMBER', 'NULL', 'TRUE', 'FALSE', '{', '[', ']'

Well yeah, ' is not valid, some parser actualy fail on single quote.

[
{
    "_id": "544809736654daf1ea897ca",
    "project": "demo",
    "tools": [
        "ajax",
        "javascript",
        "html"
    ],

},
{
    "_id": "322148965654daf1ea81ca",
    "project": "trial",
    "tools": [
        "haskell"
    ],

}
]

Still not there :

Parse error on line 9:
...    ],            },    {        "_i
---------------------^
Expecting 'STRING'

it seems that there is a trouble around line 9, and if you look closely you will see a , with nothing behind, let's remove the useless ,

[
{
    "_id": "544809736654daf1ea897ca",
    "project": "demo",
    "tools": [
        "ajax",
        "javascript",
        "html"
    ]
},
{
    "_id": "322148965654daf1ea81ca",
    "project": "trial",
    "tools": [
        "haskell"
    ]
}
]

And here it is !

enter image description here

answered Nov 13, 2014 at 16:07

Boris Charpentier

3,55328 silver badges28 bronze badges

2 Comments

CodyBugstein Over a year ago

Wow. Ok, that's interesting. So is there any way to import JSON as a Javascript object?

Boris Charpentier Over a year ago

JSON IS a javascript object, but it has to be valid ;)

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