How to make JSON object of JSON objects

Question

I have been working with a few JSON objects and have been keeping the outer JSON an array, but is it possible to keep the outer a JSON object and have it contain other JSON objects or arrays?

This is what I have and it is in proper form and works well:

{
"outer":[{
  "profile":{
     "image":"",
     "name":"",
     "password":"",
     "favorites":[

     ]
  },
  "friends":[
     {
        "name":"",
        "image":"",
        "number":"",
        "type":"",
        "birthday":"",
        "state":""
     }
  ]
}]
}

However, is it possible to have this:

{
"outer":{
  "profile":{
     "image":"",
     "name":"",
     "password":"",
     "favorites":[

     ]
  },
  "friends":[
     {
        "name":"",
        "image":"",
        "number":"",
        "type":"",
        "birthday":"",
        "state":""
     }
  ]
}
}

This is also in proper form, but I am having trouble adding multiple JSON objects and JSON arrays to a single JSON object in Android. Every time I have the outer JSON object, it overwrites whichever object is already in there when I add another one.

This is what I've got so far. obj1 is the profile JSON object and obj2 is the friends JSON object:

JSONObject profile = new JSONObject();
profile.put("profile", obj1);
JSONObject friends = new JSONObject();
friends.put("friends", obj2);
JSONObject outer = new JSONObject():
outer.put("outer", profile);
outer.put("outer", friends);

How are you adding those objects?

Fernando Carvalhosa
– Fernando Carvalhosa

2015-01-30 02:21:00 +00:00
Commented Jan 30, 2015 at 2:21 — Fernando Carvalhosa
– Fernando Carvalhosa, Commented Jan 30, 2015 at 2:21

display name · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-30 02:52:00Z

1

The main difference of the second JSON is that you created a List<outer> instead of just an outer object.

JSONObject profile = new JSONObject();
profile.put("image", anImage); //pseudo code
profile.put("name", aProfileName); //pseudo code
//...and so on

JSONObject friends = new JSONObject();
friends.put("name", aName);
//...and so on

JSONObject outer = new JSONObject();
outer.put("profile", profile);
outer.put("friends", friends);

JSONObject outers = new JSONObject();
outers.put("outer", outer);

answered Jan 30, 2015 at 2:52

display name

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1 Comment

Fernando Carvalhosa Over a year ago

Actually, he created an object outer with another object outer inside (which is overriden in the second outer.put("outer")). I don't think JSONArray even have a put method (he would have to use add instead)

Fernando Carvalhosa · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-30 04:42:00Z

0

Here is your mistake:

JSONObject profile = new JSONObject();
profile.put("profile", obj1);
JSONObject friends = new JSONObject();
friends.put("friends", obj2);
JSONObject outer = new JSONObject():
outer.put("outer", profile); 
outer.put("outer", friends); // you are overriding the profile value you have just put

To achieve this example by using JSONObjects:

{
    "outer":
     {
        "profile":
         {
            "image":"",
             "name":"",
             "password":"",
             "favorites": [] 
         },
        "friends":
         {
             "name":"",
             "image":"",
             "number":"",
             "type":"",
             "birthday":"",
             "state":""
         } 
    }
}

You should do something like this:

JSONObject profile = new JSONObject();
profile.put("image", "");
profile.put("name", "");
profile.put("password", "");
profile.put("favorites", new JSONArray());

JSONObject friends = new JSONObject();
friends.put("name", "");
friends.put("image", "");
friends.put("number", "");
friends.put("type", "");
friends.put("byrthday", "");
friends.put("state", "");

JSONObject outer = new JSONObject():
outer.put("profile", profile);
outer.put("friends", friends);

I strongly recommend you to parse your String JSON into an JAVA object for better readability and cheaper maintenance in the future

For that, I recommend you to use an external library like GSON and use it like this:

String json; // your JSON object as a string
Gson gson = new Gson(); // initializing the library object 
YourJavaObject yourJavaObject = gson.fromJson(json, YourJavaObject.class) // parsing

public class YourJavaObject 
{
    Profile profile;
    Friends friends;
}

public class Profile
{
    String image;
    String name;
    String password;
    List<Object> favorites;
}

public class Friends
{
    String name;
    String image;
    String number;
    String type;
    String birthday;
    String state;
}

edited Jan 30, 2015 at 4:42

answered Jan 30, 2015 at 2:24

Fernando Carvalhosa

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7 Comments

Kenneth Streit Over a year ago

I know that works, that's what I was saying. I'm just not sure how to implement it in code. If I have obj1 and obj2 that are both JSON objects, I can then make an outer one. I say 'outer.put("profile", obj1) and outer.put("friends", obj2)', but then when I look at it, all that is there is the "friends" object, since it overrode the profile one. How do I get around this?

Fernando Carvalhosa Over a year ago

Oh, now i got it. Could you show us how you are trying to do it? I would recommend you to parse your JSON object to an JAVA object and then do your thing

Fernando Carvalhosa Over a year ago

You are putting your JSON objects in the same variable "outer", thats why it's overriden

Kenneth Streit Over a year ago

How would I be able to write this to internal memory? I'm using JSON form so that I can easily write it to memory and store it.

Fernando Carvalhosa Over a year ago

You mean persisting the JAVA Object into your app database in the phone or Shared Preferences?

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