PHP parse json_decode array

Question

I have a json_array - $json_array which is multi-level the code below "spits it" out correctly but is there a better way of doing it? What I will end up with is a structured XML document with the array keys as the element names - but they must be in the same format as the json array:

e.g.

[1] => stdClass Object ( 
    [content] => stdClass Object ( array ) 
    [general] => stdClass Object ( array ) 
    [costing] => stdClass Object ( array ) 
    [socialbits] => stdClass Object (array ) 
    [options] => stdClass Object ( (array) 
        ( [0] => stdClass Object ( array(array)  ) ) ) )

Where 1 is the main array key (actually the id from a database)

$json_array = json_encode($data);

foreach(json_decode($json_array) as $k=>$val) {

    foreach($val as $k1=>$v2){

        echo $k1;                
        echo '<br />';            
        foreach($v2 as $k3=>$v3){                
            echo $k3;                
            echo '<br />';                
            if(is_array($v3)){            
                foreach($v3 as $k4=>$v4){            
                    foreach($v4 as $k5=>$v5){                        
                        echo $k5;                            
                        echo '<br />';                                
                        foreach($v5 as $k6=>$v6){                                
                            echo $v6;                                
                            echo '<br />'
                        }           
                    }
                }
            }
            echo $v3;
        }
        echo '<br />';
    }
    echo '<br />';  
}
// } OP included the closing brace.

Thoughts and ideas most welcome thanks -

EDIT

I have no objection to edits of code, but for the sake of others please make sure they are accurate. This is a corrected form of the edit;

foreach(json_decode($json_array) as $k=>$val) {

foreach($val as $k1=>$v2){

    echo $k1;                
    echo '<br />';            
    foreach($v2 as $k3=>$v3){                
        echo $k3;                
        echo '<br />';                
        if(is_array($v3)){            
            foreach($v3 as $k4=>$v4){            
                foreach($v4 as $k5=>$v5){                        
                    echo $k5;                            
                    echo '<br />';                                
                        foreach($v5 as $k6=>$v6){                                
                            echo $v6;                                
                            echo '<br />';
                        }           
                }
            }
        } else {
        echo $v3;
        }
    }
    echo '<br />';
}
echo '<br />';  
}

THe "main code" works, BUT is there not a better/cleaner way of writing it? — Russell Parrott
– Russell Parrott, Commented Aug 15, 2011 at 15:03
JSON is not XML. It's simply a method of representing a data structure using Javascript's code syntax. If you want a JSON string to decode into HTML, you'll have to massage the data yourself. — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented Aug 15, 2011 at 15:04
@Russel: use a recursive function. Your code is limited to a nesting depth of 6 layers — Marc B
– Marc B, Commented Aug 15, 2011 at 15:07

93196.93 · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-15 23:48:24Z

1

I think this may help you achieve an xml representation of json which is what I assume you require from reading your question:

<?php
echo recurseJson2XML($json_array, true);
function recurseJson2XML($json, $root = false)
{
    $element = '';
    foreach($json as $key => $value)
    {
        if(is_numeric($key))
        {
            $key = 'element_' . $key;
        }
        $element .= "<{$key}>";
        if(is_array($value) || is_object($value))
        {
            $element .= recurseJson2XML($value);
        }
        else
        {
            $element .= $value;
        }
        $element .= "</{$key}>";
    }
    if($root)
    {
        $element = "<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><root>{$element}</root>";
    }
    return $element;
}
?>

I tested to make sure it works on a json decoded string and it works... Let me know if you have any issues.

edited Aug 15, 2011 at 23:48

answered Aug 15, 2011 at 23:42

93196.93

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3 Comments

Russell Parrott Over a year ago

many thanks, no issues just had to quickly "strtolower(str_replace(' ','',$key))" the keys just in case element names are mis-formed (will not be me doing it Thanks and voted up ty.)

Russell Parrott Over a year ago

Matt - hit a slight problem / question - the very first numeric key in the foreach loop ie in very top code - [1] => stdClass Object (... I do not want to be tagged as element as it does in your function. I cannot seem to isolate it any suggestions? The reason is I want to add an attribute to the very first 'element' but not to child 'elements'

93196.93 Over a year ago

You could do this: echo recurseJson2XML($json_array[1], true);

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