PHP json_decode not working - displays NULL output

Question

I'm trying to use JSON decode to retrieve some information but it's not working, it's just showing the data as null when I use var_dump

Here's the JSON formatted data passed in the URL

orderSummary={"orderInfo":[{"itemNumber":"1","quantity":"3","price":"5.99","productName":"Item_B"}]}

When I simply echo the un-decoded string I get the following

echo $_GET['orderSummary'];
//displays the following
{\"orderInfo\":[{\"itemNumber\":\"1\",\"quantity\":\"3\",\"price\":\"5.99\",\"productName\":\"Item_B\"}]}

However, when I try to decode it the result is null

$order = $_GET['orderSummary'];
$data = json_decode($order,true);
echo "<PRE>";
var_dump($data); die();
//displays the following
<PRE>NULL

Is it not properly formatted?

Don't you see those backslashes? Doesn't it confuse you, that you have passed the data without backticks but then they appear? Do you think that after adding some random characters (backticks in this case) JSON would still be valid? — zerkms
– zerkms, Commented May 15, 2013 at 2:16

Ayush · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-15 02:26:30Z

14

Run the input string through stripslashes() first.

$input = '{\"orderInfo\":[{\"itemNumber\":\"1\",\"quantity\":\"3\",\"price\":\"5.99\",\"productName\":\"Item_B\"}]}';

print_r(json_decode(stripslashes($input)));

Output

stdClass Object
(
    [orderInfo] => Array
        (
            [0] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [itemNumber] => 1
                    [quantity] => 3
                    [price] => 5.99
                    [productName] => Item_B
                )

        )

)

Demo

Alternatively

Turn off magic_quotes_gpc. Considering that it has been deprecated (and removed in 5.4), this the better option.

edited May 15, 2013 at 2:26

answered May 15, 2013 at 2:16

Ayush

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2 Comments

user2268281 Over a year ago

Thanks, this worked perfectly. Any idea why the slashes appeared? I've used JSON_decode before but I've never had this happen.

Ayush Over a year ago

The slashes are added before quotes in GET/POST data if you have magic_quotes_gpc turned on in your PHP.ini. You should turn this off, as this feature is deprecated.

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