Accessing an array in PHP with no name

Question

I am trying to access decoded json elements that is in just one array, example:

 [
    {
    timestamp: 1509523044,
    tid: 83450451,
    price: "6381.0",
    amount: "1.0",
    type: "sell"
    },
    {
    timestamp: 1509523044,
    tid: 83450448,
    price: "6380.0",
    amount: "1.12894377",
    type: "buy"
    }
 ]

I have tried

$json = json_decode($result); 

echo $json[0]->price;
echo $json->[0]price;
echo $json->[0]->price;

Keep getting errors such as:

Fatal error: Cannot use object of type stdClass as array in

How can i acess each indivudal element with no array name? Thanks

Do you use valid JSON? Property names should be with double quotes — Jerald
– Jerald, Commented Nov 1, 2017 at 8:16
In my case I was able to access what I needed with empty string as the key. $neededData = $myArray[''] — jbobbins
– jbobbins, Commented Mar 13, 2023 at 17:06

Susy11 · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-01 08:29:53Z

4

Your json is malformed: in order to have a valid json you should have something like this:

<?php
$a = '[{
    "timestamp": 1509523044,
    "tid": 83450451,
    "price": "6381.0",
    "amount": "1.0",
    "type": "sell"
},
{
    "timestamp": 1509523044,
    "tid": 83450448,
    "price": "6380.0",
    "amount": "1.12894377",
    "type": "buy"
}
]';
$b = json_decode($a, true);
var_dump($b);

This will return the array you need

answered Nov 1, 2017 at 8:29

Susy11

2601 gold badge4 silver badges15 bronze badges

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

3 Comments

Fabian N. Over a year ago

It has to be mentioned, that the first approach from Rand ($json[0]->price), would only work with json_decode($a, false);. And for a good reason, as stdObject are all fine to use in code, this represents the json better than faltten it to arrays.

Susy11 Over a year ago

Well, it depends on his needs. In the above code he's trying to decode a malformed json and then use it as an array. I have provided the answer to that specific scenario.

Fabian N. Over a year ago

Regardless, that its malformed, the outer thing is an array, thus accessing with [0], but the inner one is a object, thus acessing with ->price.

René Höhle · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-01 08:52:23Z

1

When you use json_decode you get an object. If you need an array you have to set the second parameter to true.

$json = json_decode($result, true);

Otherwise you have an object and you have to access all like an object. You can check that with var_dump($json);. Generally it's better to work with the object version instead of the array version. But sometimes you need arrays.

Edit:

what i've written in the comment your json is not valid but with the original one you gave me it's working well.

var_dump(json_decode(file_get_contents('https://api.bitfinex.com/v1/trades/BTCUSD'), true));

with your example input it's working.

edited Nov 1, 2017 at 8:52

answered Nov 1, 2017 at 8:13

René Höhle

27.4k22 gold badges78 silver badges91 bronze badges

7 Comments

Rand Over a year ago

If I try that I get Notice: Undefined offset: 0 echo $json[0]['price']; or am I doing it incorrectly?

René Höhle Over a year ago

I've tested you json i think that is not valid and you get "NULL" on your var_dump.

Rand Over a year ago

Hi Stony, I am getting it from api.bitfinex.com/v1/trades/BTCUSD

pr1nc3 Over a year ago

This is not the json you have on the description. The names are inside double-quotes.

René Höhle Over a year ago

@FabianN. no ;) that is my answer ;) and i don't teach people how to use it. I've written that you get an object if you read my answer ;) so i've written "If you need an array" ... so please don't tell me how to write my answers thx ;)

|

Andreas · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-01 08:34:49Z

0

Because it's not a correct json you have to make it correct before decoding.

Here I use regex to replace the keys to "keys".

$str = ' [
{
timestamp: 1509523044,
tid: 83450451,
price: "6381.0",
amount: "1.0",
type: "sell"
},
{
timestamp: 1509523044,
tid: 83450448,
price: "6380.0",
amount: "1.12894377",
type: "buy"
}
]';


$json = json_decode(preg_replace('/(\w+):/', '"$1":', $str));
Echo $json[0]->price;

https://3v4l.org/MMTvm

answered Nov 1, 2017 at 8:34

Andreas

24k7 gold badges34 silver badges75 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Accessing an array in PHP with no name

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

7 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

7 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related