Why can't I access JSON objects by key in JavaScript?

Question

This is my JSON object:

{ text: 'stuff',
  user: 'user1
}

when I run a typeof jsonObj, I get object. When I run an jsonOb.length, I get undefined. When I tried to access the text property via console.log(jsonObj.text), I get undefined.

So how can I properly access everything in JavaScript?

I don't want to use jQuery as this is all node.js programming so it's serverside.

UPDATED - full JSON

{ text: '@junk_666 おかえりか',
  user: 
   { display_name: 'mono',
     screen_name: 'monochrm',
     klout_score: null,
     location_str: '画面の前',
     utc_offset: '32400' },
  venue_id: 1304409836517,
  match_type: 'twitter',
  tweet_id: '116494264137023489',
  created_at_unix: 1316609371,
  meta: 
   { matchedPhrase: 'junk',
     venueName: 'deletemepls really long name' },
  tags: [ '' ],
  indexed_at_unix: 1316609416 }

That isn't JSON. JSON requires property name to be in double quotes. — Tim Down
– Tim Down, Commented Sep 22, 2011 at 8:54

Josnidhin · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-22 02:16:40Z

1

The json seems to be invalid

{
    "text": "stuff",
    "user": "user1"
}

edited Sep 22, 2011 at 2:16

answered Sep 22, 2011 at 2:11

Josnidhin

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3 Comments

ceejayoz Over a year ago

It's invalid JSON but perfectly valid JavaScript that node.js'll be fine with (once he adds the apostrophe).

Daniel Dickison Over a year ago

It's fine in node.js code, but JSON.parse() will throw an error unless it's strictly valid JSON.

ceejayoz Over a year ago

Sure, but as it's node.js code, I suspect he's not actually intending to write JSON, just a JSO with no N :-). The two seem to be frequently confused.

Dave F · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-22 03:19:11Z

1

I copied and pasted your object into a FireBug console and it recognized it.

If you need to count the number of key/value pairs, you can use a function such as this one to do it:

function numMembers(o) {
    var i=0;
    for (a in o) {
        i++;
    }
    return i;
}

You should be able to access the value of the text property via jsonObj.text. Are you sure that your object is being referenced by jsonObj? Also, can you access the values for simpler objects such as the ones mentioned in other posts if you create them? Furthermore, does anything work if you use only ASCII characters? For some reason, it might not be handling some of the non-Latin characters properly.

edited Sep 22, 2011 at 3:19

answered Sep 22, 2011 at 3:01

Dave F

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Comments

Tim Down · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-22 09:00:18Z

1

First, what you have is not JSON because JSON requires property name to be in double quotes. It is a valid JavaScript object literal though, so I'll assume that's how you're using it.

Secondly, JavaScript objects in general do not have a length property. Arrays do.

There's no problem with your object literal so there must be some other problem elsewhere in your code.

answered Sep 22, 2011 at 9:00

Tim Down

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Comments

ceejayoz · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-22 02:40:11Z

0

Try this:

{ text: 'stuff',
  user: 'user1'
}

You left off an apostrophe.

Now that you've posted your full JS code (that's not JSON, as @josnidhin points out)... works fine in jsFiddle. http://jsfiddle.net/Rs9R4/ I don't believe a JS Object has .length, just Arrays.

edited Sep 22, 2011 at 2:40

answered Sep 22, 2011 at 2:09

ceejayoz

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1 Comment

ceejayoz Over a year ago

Now that you've posted your full JS code (that's not JSON, as @josnidhin points out)... works fine in jsFiddle. jsfiddle.net/Rs9R4 I don't believe a JS Object has .length, just Arrays.

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