how to edit a json file using python

Question

First of all take a look at my json structure

{
    "some_id": [
        {
            "embed": False,
            "plain_msg": "Some text",
            "embed_text": [
                {
                    "title": "any title",
                    "body": "any bpdy text",
                    "color": "random color"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Lets say I have a json file as filename.json with the given json. Now I want to change value of embed without changing any other data.

I have a simple code

  with open('filename.json', 'r') as f:
      json_data = json.load(f)
  json_data['some_id'] = 'Some string'
    with open('filename.json', 'w') as f:
      json.dump(json_data, f, indent=2)

But this code can only write inside some_id and rewrite all value with the given string as

{
    "some_id": "Some string"
}

Please help me how can I do this! I need your help

possible duplicate: stackoverflow.com/questions/13949637/… — martinho
– martinho, Commented May 9, 2024 at 3:12

Gliese Studio · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-01 16:31:26Z

4

I got the solution after a lot testing and searching.

The correct code is

with open('filename.json', 'r') as f:
    json_data = json.load(f)

json_data['some_id'][0]['embed'] = 'Some string'
with open('filename.json', 'w') as f:
    json.dump(json_data, f, indent=2)

It neither duplicate any data nor delete any existing data just change. OMG I got it finally.

answered Feb 1, 2022 at 16:31

Gliese Studio

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Comments

Cargo23 · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-30 14:41:55Z

4

json_data becomes a dictionary with the same structure as your JSON. To access 'inner' elements, you just have to navigate the dictionary structure.

See comment below.

  with open('filename.json', 'r') as f:
      json_data = json.load(f)
  json_data['some_id'][0]['embed'] = 'Some string' # On this line you needed to add ['embed'][0]
    with open('filename.json', 'w') as f:
      json.dump(json_data, f, indent=2)

edited Mar 30, 2023 at 14:41

answered Feb 1, 2022 at 15:08

Cargo23

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2 Comments

Gliese Studio Over a year ago

This is returning this error Traceback (most recent call last): File "p:\Web Hosting\ServerX\public\test.py", line 6, in <module> json_data['test_id']['embed'] = 'Some string' # On this line you needed to add ['embed'] TypeError: 'str' object does not support item assignment

Cargo23 Over a year ago

Then, I think you must be wrong about the structure of your JSON. Possibly you have JSON embedded in a string. In that case you would need: json_loads(json_data['some_id'])['embed'] = 'Some string'

André Lima · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-01 15:55:27Z

1

If I understood it correctly, you want to edit the value on the file you already have ('filename.json'), and not create a new file with that one field edited.

In that case, you don't need the nested with open... structure. Also, notice you have to fully index the field you are trying to edit in the dictionary returned by the json.load() method. It will be under "some_id", but that key holds a list with one element, so then you need to refer to index0. Finally, the element on index0 is also a dictionary where the "embed" keys exist - and that's what you want to change.

Try this:

    with open('filename.json', 'r+') as f:
      json_data = json.load(f)
      json_data['some_id'][0]['embed'] = 'Some string'
      json.dump(json_data, f, indent=2)

edited Feb 1, 2022 at 15:55

answered Feb 1, 2022 at 15:13

André Lima

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2 Comments

Gliese Studio Over a year ago

This code duplicating the whole json and disturbing the structure

André Lima Over a year ago

I edited my commend to account for the fact that "embed" is actually in a dictionary that resides in a list.

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