Convert PHP string to JSON array(key:value)

Question

I have the following string that I receive from an API call:

a = "{
      "option1"=>"Color",
      "attribute1"=>{0=>"Black", 1=>"White",2=>"Blue"},
      "option2"=>"Size",
      "attribute2"=>{0=>"S", 1=>"L",2=>"M"}
}"

I would like to convert it to a JSON array; So, I have tried JSON_encode(), but it returns the following string:

""{\"option1\"=>\"Color\",\"attribute1\"=>{0=>\"Black\", 1=>\"White\",2=>\"Blue\"},\"option2\"=>\"Size\",\"attribute2\"=>{0=>\"S\", 1=>\"L\",2=>\"M\"}}""

Could you please advise me on how to achieve what i want.

Thanks

You should do JSON_decode() since your string i'ts JSON. Use the option of json decode to parse as an array instead of \StdClass. (OFC you need the right line separators and symbol escapes). — Yuri Blanc
– Yuri Blanc, Commented Jan 9, 2017 at 8:21
Where does that string come from? Without knowing what format that should be there is little strategy to parse and evaluate it... — arkascha
– arkascha, Commented Jan 9, 2017 at 8:28
yeah just now i see the mistake that's not valid json @arkascha — JYoThI
– JYoThI, Commented Jan 9, 2017 at 8:44

RomanPerekhrest · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-09 08:46:17Z

3

The preferable way would be affecting the service which gives you such kind of strings to get a valid JSON string(if it's possible).
At the moment, if it's about adapting some "arbitrary" string to JSON notation format and further getting a JSON "array" use the following approach with preg_replace and json_decode functions:

$json_str = '{
      "option1"=>"Color",
      "attribute1"=>{0=>"Black", 1=>"White",2=>"Blue"},
      "option2"=>"Size",
      "attribute2"=>{0=>"S", 1=>"L",2=>"M"}
}';

// To get a 'pure' array
$arr = json_decode(preg_replace(["/\"?(\w+)\"?=>/", "/[\r\n]|\s{2,}/"], ['"$1":', ''], $json_str), true);
print_r($arr);

The output:

Array
(
    [option1] => Color
    [attribute1] => Array
        (
            [0] => Black
            [1] => White
            [2] => Blue
        )

    [option2] => Size
    [attribute2] => Array
        (
            [0] => S
            [1] => L
            [2] => M
        )
)

To get a JSON string representing an array:

$json_arr = json_encode($arr);
print_r($json_arr);

The output:

{"option1":"Color","attribute1":["Black","White","Blue"],"option2":"Size","attribute2":["S","L","M"]}

answered Jan 9, 2017 at 8:46

RomanPerekhrest

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5 Comments

Alladin Over a year ago

Exactly what I want to achieve. thank you for your assistance

Álvaro González Over a year ago

This doesn't seem to handle the a = "..." part but, it it's constant, a simple mb_substr() call should do.

RomanPerekhrest Over a year ago

@ÁlvaroGonzález, you mean, when the input string contains only "..." without any structure prototype?

Álvaro González Over a year ago

I mean when the input string contains literally what the question says (though I suspect it isn't real data at all, since the question actually contradicts itself.)

RomanPerekhrest Over a year ago

@ÁlvaroGonzález, actually it looks like a "dumped" object/array not a valid API response. That's why I wrote about affecting the service ...

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