JSON_decode issue Returns string() and int() with data

Question

I am pulling some JSON data from google maps that gives me an accuret distance between two addresses. That works fine but when it comes to using json_decode it gives me some horrific data! This is the example array thats output:

array(4) {
  ["destination_addresses"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(51) "96 Stirling Street, Alva, Clackmannanshire FK12, UK"
  }
  ["origin_addresses"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(64) "17 Dalgety Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH7, UK"
  }
  ["rows"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    array(1) {
      ["elements"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        array(3) {
          ["distance"]=>
          array(2) {
            ["text"]=>
            string(7) "39.3 mi"
            ["value"]=>
            int(63242)
          }
          ["duration"]=>
          array(2) {
            ["text"]=>
            string(7) "59 mins"
            ["value"]=>
            int(3555)
          }
          ["status"]=>
          string(2) "OK"
        }
      }
    }
  }
  ["status"]=>
  string(2) "OK"
}

AS you can see it also puts string(#) or int(#) at the start of the array item and " around the value. Whats causing this issues? Heres the outputted JSON.

{
   "destination_addresses" : [ "96 Stirling Street, Alva, Clackmannanshire FK12, UK" ],
   "origin_addresses" : [ "17 Dalgety Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH7, UK" ],
   "rows" : [
      {
         "elements" : [
            {
               "distance" : {
                  "text" : "39.3 mi",
                  "value" : 63242
               },
               "duration" : {
                  "text" : "59 mins",
                  "value" : 3555
               },
               "status" : "OK"
            }
         ]
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}

My php code:

$url = fopen("https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/distancematrix/json?origins=".$latitudeFrom.",".$longitudeFrom."&destinations=".$latitudeTo.",".$longitudeTo."&mode=driving&units=imperial", "r");

        $result = json_decode(stream_get_contents($url), true);
        fclose($url);
        var_dump($result['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['distance']['text']);

That looks like the output of var_dump, which is great for debugging, not so good for data exchange. — Halcyon
– Halcyon, Commented Nov 24, 2014 at 17:12
Yes but I i were to go: echo $array['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['distance']['test']; I would get 'string(7) "39.3 mi"' and not '39.3 mi' as expected! — CallumBee
– CallumBee, Commented Nov 24, 2014 at 17:14

slapyo · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-24 17:23:30Z

1

You're getting an object back, not an array. You need to reference it as such. The data you're seeing from var_dump will not be in the output when you handle the data. That is just for debugging purposes so you can see what you're dealing with.

json_decode with object returned

$json = json_decode($json);
echo $json->rows[0]->elements[0]->distance->text;

json_decode with array returned

$json = json_decode($json, true);
echo $json['rows'][0]['elements'][0]['distance']['text'];

edited Nov 24, 2014 at 17:23

answered Nov 24, 2014 at 17:16

slapyo

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3 Comments

CallumBee Over a year ago

Thanks but that still gives me the same issue. I have added my code to my first post.

slapyo Over a year ago

@Jiggles don't var_dump use echo instead. var_dump is going to give you the extra info about that variable. echo will just give the value that's it.

Sebastian Over a year ago

@slapyo Not necessarily, I have currently issues that json_decode gives me json object AND the int at the end. echo and var_dump say the same thing

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