Create Json Document from Array

Question

I have an array that I created this way

[System.Collections.ArrayList]$Fruits = "A", "B"

Now I want to have a Json document that looks likd this

{
'fruits':['A', 'B']
}

I have no idea how to create the key as

$fruits | ConvertTo-Json

simply creates this

[
    "A",
    "B"
]

BTW, we should have pointed you to this before, we responded; because your use case is not really a new thing as per the MSDoc Powershell help file pointed to for PSCore. However, this is alas a duplicate question as per this SO Q&A and many more on SO, and all over the web and on Youtube. — postanote
– postanote, Commented Apr 7, 2021 at 4:39

JPBlanc · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-07 04:30:58Z

1

you should build an object with a fruit property :

$obj = New-Object psobject -Property @{fruits = "A", "B"}
$obj | ConvertTo-Json

Another way :

$obj = "" | Select-Object -Property fruits
$obj.fruits =  "A", "B"
$obj | ConvertTo-Json

gives :

{
    "fruits":  [
                   "A",
                   "B"
               ]
}

Be careful the original Depth is 3, you shouls give the one you need and use -compress :

$obj | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5 -Compress

It gives :

{"fruits":["A","B"]}

edited Apr 7, 2021 at 4:30

answered Apr 7, 2021 at 3:29

JPBlanc

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4 Comments

postanote Over a year ago

JPBlanc, Should this $fruits | ConvertTo-Json be this $obj| ConvertTo-Json, since $obj is what you created to hold that info to convert?

JPBlanc Over a year ago

@postanote you are right, bad copy/past. Thanks

postanote Over a year ago

No worries, good stuff for those still on WinPS. Yet, We should have just hit the SP search box, or told the OP to do so, and closed this as a duplicate question, since it is a duplicate of a few Q&As with accepted answers. Oh, well, next time.

Tom Martens Over a year ago

thanks @JPBlanc I wasn't aware that I had to create an object with a property named like the key I needed inside the Json document. On a 2nd thought this makes totally sense. So, your answer helped me a lot

postanote · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-07 03:54:56Z

0

You are not saying what version of PowerShell you are using. So, to tagginb on to the helpful answer from @JPBlanc; if this is on PowerShell Core (PSv7), then this.

ConvertTo-Json

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/convertto-json?view=powershell-7.1

$Host
# Results
<#
Name             : ConsoleHost
Version          : 7.1.3
InstanceId       : 1eed2704-3482-499f-b86d-d138ff405ad4
UI               : System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface
CurrentCulture   : en-US
CurrentUICulture : en-US
PrivateData      : Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost+ConsoleColorProxy
DebuggerEnabled  : True
IsRunspacePushed : False
Runspace         : System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalRunspace
#>

(Get-Command -Name ConvertTO-Json).Parameters.Keys
# Results
<#
InputObject
Depth
Compress
EnumsAsStrings
AsArray
EscapeHandling
Verbose
Debug
ErrorAction
WarningAction
InformationAction
ErrorVariable
WarningVariable
InformationVariable
OutVariable
OutBuffer
PipelineVariable
#>


 [System.Collections.ArrayList]$Fruits = 'A', 'B'
 ConvertTo-Json -AsArray @($Fruits) -Compress
# Results
<#
[["A","B"]]
#>

Or

ConvertTo-Json -AsArray @($Fruits)
# Results
<#
[
  [
    "A",
    "B"
  ]
]
#>

edited Apr 7, 2021 at 3:54

answered Apr 7, 2021 at 3:37

postanote

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1 Comment

Tom Martens Over a year ago

thanks for taking the time, but unfortunately I can't get your answer to create the Json I needed. I was looking for the missing object.property value link to the json key:value paradigm from the JPBlanc's answer

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