How do I `json_encode()` keys from PHP array?

Question

I have an array which prints like this

Array ( [0] => 1691864 [1] => 7944458 [2] => 9274078 [3] => 1062072 [4] => 8625335 [5] => 8255371 [6] => 5476104 [7] => 6145446 [8] => 7525604 [9] => 5947143 )

If I json_encode($thearray) I get something like this

[1691864,7944458,9274078,1062072,8625335,8255371,5476104,6145446,7525604,5947143]

Why the name is not encoded (e.g 0, 1 , 2 , 3 etc) ? and how should I do to make it appear in the json code? the full code is below

  $ie = 0;
  while($ie   10)
  {
    $genid = rand(1000000,9999999);
     $temp[$ie] = $genid ;
     $ie++;
     }
     print_r($temp);

    $temp_json = json_encode($temp);
    print_r($temp_json);

Gumbo · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 17:24:16Z

62

You can force that json_encode uses an object although you’re passing an array with numeric keys by setting the JSON_FORCE_OBJECT option:

json_encode($thearray, JSON_FORCE_OBJECT)

Then the returned value will be a JSON object with numeric keys:

{"0":1691864,"1":7944458,"2":9274078,"3":1062072,"4":8625335,"5":8255371,"6":5476104,"7":6145446,"8":7525604,"9":5947143}

But you should only do this if an object is really required.

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 17:24

Gumbo

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NiCk Newman Over a year ago

Didn't know about JSON_FORCE_OBJECT, any downfall using this parameter? Voted ~ Ty

Thai · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 17:21:09Z

12

Use this instead:

json_encode((object)$temp)

This converts the array into object, which when JSON-encoded, will display the keys.

If you are storing a sequence of data, not a mapping from number to another number, you really should use array.

edited Jan 30, 2011 at 17:21

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 17:16

Thai

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Machavity Over a year ago

Note that type juggling like this, especially with array to object, can have some unexpected outcomes. Use with caution.

christophmccann · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 17:14:25Z

0

Because those are just the indices of the array. If you want to add some kind of name to each element then you need to use an associative array.

When you decode that JSON array though it will come back out to 0, 1, 2, 3 etc.

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 17:14

christophmccann

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Pekka · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 17:14:38Z

0

This is defined behaviour. The array you show is a non-associative, normally indexed array. Its indexes are implicitly numeric.

If you decode the array in PHP or JavaScript, you will be able to access the elements using the index:

$temp_array = json_decode($temp_json);

echo $temp_array[2]; // 9274078

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 17:14

Pekka

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