How to convert a JSON string into an array (PHP)?

Question

using the below code for decoding json

$categories = json_decode($data);
$categories = $categories->data;

where i get this

{"categories":[{"id":1,"name":"Utilities","apps":897,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/uti.jpg"},{"id":2,"name":"Productivity","apps":477,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/pro.jpg"},{"id":3,"name":"Music","apps":466,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/mus.jpg"},{"id":4,"name":"Travel","apps":289,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/tra.jpg"},{"id":5,"name":"Navigation","apps":297,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/nav.jpg"},{"id":6,"name":"Books","apps":271,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/boo.jpg"},{"id":7,"name":"Healthcare & Fitness","apps":250,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/hea.jpg"},{"id":8,"name":"Games","apps":5116,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/gam.jpg"},{"id":9,"name":"Social Networking","apps":272,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/soc.jpg"},{"id":10,"name":"Lifestyle","apps":434,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/lif.jpg"},{"id":11,"name":"Finance","apps":200,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/fin.jpg"},{"id":12,"name":"News","apps":128,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/new.jpg"},{"id":13,"name":"Photography","apps":481,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/pho.jpg"},{"id":14,"name":"Entertainment","apps":1251,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/ent.jpg"},{"id":15,"name":"Business","apps":221,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/bus.jpg"},{"id":16,"name":"Sports","apps":199,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/spo.jpg"},{"id":17,"name":"Education","apps":433,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/edu.jpg"},{"id":18,"name":"Medical","apps":262,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/med.jpg"},{"id":19,"name":"Weather","apps":64,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/wea.jpg"},{"id":20,"name":"Reference","apps":419,"iconurl":"http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/ref.jpg"}]}

and i would like to convert to in an array like this

Array[0]
    {
       id => 1
       name => Utilities
       apps => 897
       iconurl => http:\/\/static.apptrackr.org\/caticons\/uti.jpg
    }

and so on

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 19:32:19Z

6

This looks like a JSON string. You can use json_decode() to convert it into a PHP variable, e.g.

$obj = json_decode($json);
print_r($obj->categories); // array of StdClass objects

You can access and iterate the categories array regularly

echo $obj->categories[0]->name; // Utilities
echo $obj->categories[1]->name; // Productivity
echo $obj->categories[2]->name; // Music

To convert the StdClass objects to arrays, you could do

$categories = array();
foreach (json_decode($json)->categories as $category) {
    $categories[] = (array) $category;
}
print_r($categories);

You could also do it with a lambda function and array_map:

// Before PHP5.3
$categories = array_map(
    create_function('$el', 'return (array) $el;'), 
    json_decode($json)->categories);

// After PHP5.3
$categories = array_map(
    function($el) { return (array) $el; }, 
    json_decode($json)->categories);

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 19:32

CommunityBot

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answered Feb 26, 2010 at 22:08

Gordon

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6 Comments

Mahmoud Over a year ago

sorry for not declaring this but to get this i used $categories = json_decode($data); $categories = $categories->data; where i got the result above and when i try using your code i get error on foreach thanks for the help

Gordon Over a year ago

@Mahmoud There is no $categories->data in the object string you gave. What's the error you get?

Mahmoud Over a year ago

here is a link for a print_r(json_decode($categories)); pastie.org/844979 the one in my question is after i used $categories = $categories->data; the error i get in foreach ($arr->categories as $category) {

Gordon Over a year ago

@Mahmoud I'm not sure to understand what you are doing there, but will json_decode($categories) with $categories being derived from your $categories = json_decode($data); $categories = $categories->data; work? Apparently you have an object containing a JSON string in data.

Gordon Over a year ago

Like I said, data contains a JSON string you will need to decode too to convert it to an object. See pasty.

|

DanMan · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-19 16:05:24Z

1

Erm, you can just set the 2nd parameter to convert JSON into an array instead of into an object:

$categories = json_decode($data, true);

answered Feb 19, 2013 at 16:05

DanMan

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Comments

Vance · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-26 22:08:20Z

0

take a look at get_object_vars http://php.net/manual/en/function.get-object-vars.php

answered Feb 26, 2010 at 22:08

Vance

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Comments

Chris Tonkinson · Accepted Answer · 2010-02-26 22:57:48Z

0

@Gordon seems correct - that looks like JSON. Assuming, though, that you're dealing with an "actual" PHP Object, then it will be iterable; simply run through it with a foreach and push each key/value pair into your destination array.

answered Feb 26, 2010 at 22:57

Chris Tonkinson

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