Converting a PHP associative array to a JSON associative array

Question

I am converting a look-up table in PHP which looks like this to JavaScript using json_encode:

 AbilitiesLookup Object
(
[abilities:private] => Array
    (
        [1] => Ability_MeleeAttack Object
            (
                [abilityid:protected] => 
                [range:protected] => 1
                [name:protected] => MeleeAttack
                [ability_identifier:protected] => MeleeAttack
                [aoe_row:protected] => 1
                [aoe_col:protected] => 1
                [aoe_shape:protected] => 
                [cooldown:protected] => 0
                [focusCost:protected] => 0
                [possibleFactions:protected] => 2
                [abilityDesc:protected] => Basic Attack
            )
            .....snipped...

And in JSON, it is:

{"1":{"name":"MeleeAttack","fof":"2","range":"1","aoe":[null,"1","1"],"fp":"0","image":"dummy.jpg"},....

The problem is I get a JS object, not an array, and the identifier is a number. I see 2 ways around this problem - either find a way to access the JSON using a number (which I do not know how) or make it such that json_encode (or some other custom encoding functions) can give a JavaScript associative array.

(Yes, I am rather lacking in my JavaScript department).

Note: The JSON output doesn't match the array - this is because I do a manual json encoding for each element in the subscript, before pushing it onto an array (with the index as the key), then using json_encode on it. To be clear, the number are not sequential because it's an associative array (which is why the JSON output is not an array).

Arrays in JavaScript always have idexes squential and starting from zero. Javascript object is an associative array. There is no other type (other then object) in javascript that behaves like associative array. — Kamil Szot
– Kamil Szot, Commented Mar 9, 2010 at 6:51

Kamil Szot · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-09 08:08:01Z

12

array('a', 'b', 'c') encodes as ['a', 'b', 'c'],

Maybe the reason of conversion to object instead of array is that you index your php array from 1 not from 0

I've checked and

<?php
echo json_encode(array('a', 'b', 'c'))."\n";
echo json_encode(array(0 => 'a', 'b', 'c'))."\n"; // same as above but explicit
echo json_encode(array(1 => 'a', 'b', 'c'))."\n";

gives

["a","b","c"]
["a","b","c"]
{"1":"a","2":"b","3":"c"}

edited Mar 9, 2010 at 8:08

answered Mar 9, 2010 at 6:42

Kamil Szot

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1 Comment

Ateş Göral Over a year ago

Yes, json_encode(array(0 => 'a', 'b', 'c')) would give ["a","b","c"]. Maybe you should explicitly mention that in your answer.

Ateş Göral · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-09 06:45:07Z

9

JavaScript object property names can be strings in any format. They can even be just digits (as it is in your case) and there's no issue with accessing them with numeric indexes/keys:

var obj = {
    "1": "foo",
    "2": "bar"
};

obj["1"]; // returns "foo"
obj[1]; // returns "foo" (1 will implicitly get cast to the string "1")

answered Mar 9, 2010 at 6:45

Ateş Göral

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2 Comments

Kamil Szot Over a year ago

I think this should be upvoted and accepted as it directly addresses problem that Extrakun has. "find a way to access the JSON using a number (which I do not know how)"

Ateş Göral Over a year ago

@Extrakun: I think a trigger-happy user may have been annoyed by the "1": "foo" syntax...

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