PHP - Json decode to associative array with numbering

Question

I have JSON:

"{"description":"Testing","site":"http:\/\/localhost","steps":{"step":[{"command":"grabimage","parameter":"img[alt=\"Next\"]"},{"command":"click","parameter":"img[alt=\"Previous\"]"}]}}"

that is generated dynamicall by SimpleXML from an XML file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<pullcase>
<description>Testing</description>
<site>http://localhost:81</site>
<steps>
<step>
   <command>grabimage</command>
   <parameter>img[alt="Next"]</parameter>
</step>
</steps>
</pullcase>

It consists of a potentially unlimited number of "step" within "steps". When there is a single step the array is generated as:

["steps"]=>
array(1) {
["step"]=>
array(2) {
  ["command"]=>
  string(9) "grabimage"
  ["parameter"]=>
  string(15) "img[alt="Next"]"
}
}

While when there are multiple steps it is generated as:

["steps"]=>
array(1) {
["step"]=>
array(2) {
  [0]=>
  array(2) {
    ["command"]=>
    string(9) "grabimage"
    ["parameter"]=>
    string(15) "img[alt="Next"]"
  }
  [1]=>
  array(2) {
    ["command"]=>
    string(5) "click"
    ["parameter"]=>
    string(19) "img[alt="Previous"]"
  }
  }
}

How do I get the array that is generated for one child element to follow the same rules as multiple?:

["steps"]=>
array(1) {
["step"]=>
array(1) {
  [0]=>
  array(2) {
  ["command"]=>
  string(9) "grabimage"
  ["parameter"]=>
  string(15) "img[alt="Next"]"
}
}

Didn't I just answer that here? stackoverflow.com/questions/29017588/… or do you have more information? — AbraCadaver
– AbraCadaver, Commented Mar 12, 2015 at 20:18
Not exactly, you answered how to handle the data structure, the OP now asks how to avoid it. — ThW
– ThW, Commented Mar 12, 2015 at 20:23
@ThW: Well we'll need to see the code that "dynamically" creates this then won't we? — AbraCadaver
– AbraCadaver, Commented Mar 12, 2015 at 20:27
@AbraCadaver To have a chance to solve the problem, yes I would think so. :-) — ThW
– ThW, Commented Mar 12, 2015 at 20:36

ThW · Accepted Answer · 2015-03-12 20:34:02Z

0

The json_decode() is not to blame. The JSON structure defines if it is an array or only a single element.

Here is a stripped down example. It avoids using JSON_OBJECT_AS_ARRAY, so the objects are decoded to stdClass instances and the array is easier to spot.

$json = <<<'JSON'
{
  "key": {
    "list_example": [
      {
        "key": "value"
      }
    ]
  }
}
JSON;

var_dump(json_decode($json));

Output:

object(stdClass)#1 (1) {
  ["key"]=>
  object(stdClass)#2 (1) {
    ["list_example"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      object(stdClass)#3 (1) {
        ["key"]=>
        string(5) "value"
      }
    }
  }
}

You can see that the list_example contains an array.

The problem is in the source that generates the JSON. An XML to JSON mapper would be a typical candidate for that.

answered Mar 12, 2015 at 20:34

ThW

19.5k3 gold badges25 silver badges47 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

mickmackusa · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-26 08:31:49Z

You will just need to overwrite the lone subarray array as an indexed array containing "itself".

Code (Demo)

$json='{"description":"Testing","site":"http:\\/\\/localhost","steps":{"step":{"command":"grabimage","parameter":"img[alt=\\"1Next\\"]"}}}';
$array=json_decode($json,true);
if(key($array['steps']['step'])==='command'){  // if first key is "command" it is not indexed (in other words, "lone")
    $array['steps']['step']=[$array['steps']['step']];  // position the lone subarray (deeper) in an indexed subarray.
}
var_export($array);

Output:

array (
  'description' => 'Testing',
  'site' => 'http://localhost',
  'steps' => 
  array (
    'step' => 
    array (
      0 => 
      array (
        'command' => 'grabimage',
        'parameter' => 'img[alt="1Next"]',
      ),
    ),
  ),
)

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP - Json decode to associative array with numbering

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related