PHP - How to convert multiple JSON-like strings to associative array?

Question

Input string:

$times = '{endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}';

And I'm trying to convert it into an array that should look like this:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            endTime => "2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00"
            startTime => "2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            endTime => "2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00"
            startTime => "2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            endTime => "2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00"
            startTime => "2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"
        )

)

I've tried exploding, combining and all sorts but my code is so messy that I'm sure there must be a better and cleaner way?

This is MY cleanest starting point, but even this not clean, yes?

$times = '{endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}';
$timesarr = explode("},{", $times);

foreach ($timesarr as $i => $item) {
    $timesarr[$i] = str_replace("{", "", $item);
    $timesarr[$i] = str_replace("}", "", $timesarr[$i]);

    $timesarr[$i] = explode(",", $timesarr[$i]);
}


echo '<pre>'; print_r($timesarr); echo '</pre>';

i think the string is not a valid json, convert it to valid json first and then decode this — Chetan Ameta
– Chetan Ameta, Commented Mar 28, 2017 at 7:43

Sahil Gulati · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-28 07:51:32Z

3

Improvements done:

Appended square braces at starting and end.
Replaced words with [a-zA-Z]+ with "[a-zA-Z]+" making it a valid json than json_decode

PHP code demo

<?php

$times = '{endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}';
$times=$times."]";
$times="[".$times;
$jsonString=preg_replace("/([a-zA-Z]+\s*)\:/", '"$1":', $times);
print_r(json_decode($jsonString,true));

edited Mar 28, 2017 at 7:51

answered Mar 28, 2017 at 7:46

Sahil Gulati

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1 Comment

Warren Over a year ago

THAT is beautiful!

131 · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-28 07:54:52Z

1

This code will replace 'endTime' with '"endTime"' and same for startTime. I don't recommend you doing it this way, but it will work for you in this situation:

$times='{"endTime":"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00","startTime":"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{"endTime":"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00","startTime":"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{"endTime":"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00","startTime":"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}';
$times=str_replace("endTime",'"endTime"',$times);
$times=str_replace("startTime",'"startTime"',$times);
$times="[$times]";
echo "<h2><pre>";
print_r(json_decode($times,true));

This will output this:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00
        )

)

edited Mar 28, 2017 at 7:54

answered Mar 28, 2017 at 7:47

131

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2 Comments

Warren Over a year ago

That works, but I don't have quotes on the keys on the incoming data?

131 Over a year ago

Updated the answer

Md. Sahadat Hossain · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-28 07:45:15Z

0

Try this

First make the string a valid json string.

Add [ at start and ] at end. So your code will be

$times = '[{endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}]';

$result = json_decode($times, true);

edited Mar 28, 2017 at 7:45

answered Mar 28, 2017 at 7:42

Md. Sahadat Hossain

3,2344 gold badges36 silver badges56 bronze badges

4 Comments

u_mulder Over a year ago

$times is NOT a valid json.

WasteD Over a year ago

@u_mulder not yet but he can make it to one!

u_mulder Over a year ago

Even with [] it still not a valid json. Please test your code before answering.

131 Over a year ago

the keys need to be enclosed with doublequotes ""

apokryfos · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-28 08:00:53Z

This is not valid JSON, it looks like a bunch of JS variables concatenated together. You need a heavily customised parser:

<?php
$times = '{endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00"},{endTime:"2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00",startTime:"2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00"}';
$times = str_replace(["{","}"],["\0","\0"],$times); //replace {} with null bytes (they're hopefully unique and will be used as delimiters)

$csv = str_getcsv($times,",","\0"); //Treat string as a CSV enclosed in those null bytes

$csv = array_map(function ($v) {
    $vars = explode(",",$v);
    $arr = [];
    foreach ($vars as $var) {
        $parts = str_getcsv($var,":","\""); // endTime:"2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00" is like a CSV split by : and enclosed in "
        $arr[$parts[0]] = $parts[1];
    }
    return $arr;

},$csv);

print_r($csv);

Result:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-03-29T17:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-03-29T17:00:00.000+11:00
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-03-31T17:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-03-31T17:00:00.000+11:00
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [endTime] => 2017-04-01T12:15:00.000+11:00
            [startTime] => 2017-04-01T12:00:00.000+11:00
        )

)

Alternately walk away from this mess and demand your data be properly formatted as JSON.

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