Read var from external javascript file and convert it to php variables

Question

I have a javascript file (let's call it external.js) located at some place on my server with the following content:

var exchange = {
"USD": {
    "transfer": 203.49,
    "cash": 90.08,
    "average": 203.49,
},
"EUR": {
    "transfer": 231.16,
    "cash": 102.32,
    "average": 231.16,
},
"USDCOL": {
    "rate": 2625.00,
    "ratecash": 2350.00,
    "ratetrm": 2500.59,
    "trmfactor": 0.05,
    "trmfactorcash": 0.06
},
"EURUSD": {
    "rate": 1.1359
}
"GOLD": {
    "rate": 1203.95
}}
//this code is simplified there is a lot more values

I will like to read that file from PHP (something similar to what is done with external xml files) and split those strings into variables, like this:

$USD_transfer = 203.49;
$USD_cash = 90.08;
$USD_average = 203.49;
$EUR_transfer = 231.16;
$EUR_cash = 102.32;
$EUR_average = 231.16.49;
$GOLD_rate = 1203.95;

Then proceed and execute the rest of my php code.

I tried file_get_contents, reading a section of a file, to extract every variable value one by one, but it is obviously unpractical.

<?php
//Read 6 characters starting from the 166 character to get $USD_transfer
$file = file_get_contents('./external.js', NULL, NULL, 166, 6);
$USD_transfer = $file;
?>

PD: since I am working with a pre-made (unalterable) code that generates (only) that javascript file I can not modify it, if it where my choice I would use a database... but that's not the case.

My coding skills are very limited, can you guys please help me?

That's interesting. Why are you reading a JS file from PHP? Anyway you can turn that into JSON and then use json_decode() like @JohnConde suggests? — j--
– j--, Commented Feb 25, 2015 at 23:18
not json, but almost. you need to crop the file to turn it into valid json before feeding it to json_decode. — dandavis
– dandavis, Commented Feb 25, 2015 at 23:19
I tried $json = file('external.js'); var_dump(json_decode($json)); var_dump(json_decode($json, true)); but I get an error — Valerie Castle
– Valerie Castle, Commented Feb 25, 2015 at 23:21
You file is javascript, not json. Se: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON for an example. Anyway, this is not good practice, you should find a more general solution to your problem. For instance something that can easily be read by Javascript and PHP. — KIKO Software
– KIKO Software, Commented Feb 25, 2015 at 23:33

Darren · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-25 23:55:19Z

1

If you remove it from said variable and make it a json file, i.e.:

{
    "USD": {
        "transfer": 203.49,
        "cash": 90.08,
        "average": 203.49,
    },
.....etc
}

You'd be able to use json_decode() on it. The way you have it now, you'd have to use ajax somehow to send them to the php script that processes it. Where you'd be able to do something like the following to assign the variables as you require, provided you are using that exact data structure as shown.

$json = file_get_contents(getcwd() . '/jsonfile.json');
$data = json_decode($string);
foreach($data as $key => $items) {
    foreach($items as $identifier => $value) {
        ${$key . '_' . $identifier} = $value;
    }
}

Which would harness PHP's variable variables to create the variables like this: KEY_identifier, meaning USD_transfer....etc.

Allowing you to call the variable as such:

echo $USD_transfer;

Working Example

Also, a quick note:

Your JSON object is not a valid object, you can check to see if it's correct at JSONLint.

answered Feb 25, 2015 at 23:55

Darren

13.1k4 gold badges44 silver badges81 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

Valerie Castle Over a year ago

Thanks, that's exactly what I need, I just added: $file = file_get_contents('external.js'); $string = str_replace("var exchange =", "", "$file"); at the beginning, but now for some weird reason the output is just a unformatted array.

Darren Over a year ago

You need to json_decode() it and do what I've shown in my answer.

Valerie Castle Over a year ago

Thanks, your solution worked perfectly, it was a silly error of bad typing from my part.

João Pimentel Ferreira Over a year ago

He doesn't need AJAX. The file is already stored in his server with the variable.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Read var from external javascript file and convert it to php variables

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related