Json to php, json_decode returns NULL

Question

I'm doing JSON parser in php for some API that stores informations about estates. I'm getting problem with the parse, since it's returning me NULL vualue instead of an array or object. Simple JSON codes are parsed nicely, but with this:

{"success":true,"totalCount":1,"data":[{"id":996944,"listingId":"2/2089/OMW","mlsId":null,"swoId":null,"sectionName":"ApartmentRental","geoLat":50.06442971278027,"geoLng":19.953176730749647,"country":{"id":34,"name":"Polska","code":"PL"},"location":{"id":42955,"name":"/Małopolskie/Kraków/Kraków-Śródmieście","province":"Małopolskie","locality":"Kraków","quarter":"Kraków-Śródmieście"},"street":{"id":138781,"name":"Hugona Kołłątaja","fullName":"ul. Hugona Kołłątaja"},"foreignStreet":null,"foreignLocation":null,"contractType":"Exclusive","ownershipType":"Mortgage","groundOwnershipType":null,"isSpecial":true,"price":{"amount":2700,"currency":"PLN"},"priceBeforeReduction":null,"dateCreated":"2011-10-22 20:32:35","lastUpdated":"2011-10-25 11:51:09","actualisationDate":"2011-10-22 20:32:34","statusChangeDate":"2011-10-22 20:32:34","images":[{"id":6514430},{"id":6514431},{"id":6514432},{"id":6514433},{"id":6514434},{"id":6514435},{"id":6514436},{"id":6514437},{"id":6514438},{"id":6514439},{"id":6514440},{"id":6514441},{"id":6514442},{"id":6514443}],"licenceNumber":null,"description":"Do wynajęcia piękne, przestronne mieszkanie w wysokim standardzie, świeżo po remoncie przy ulicy Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie. Znajduje się w bardzo pięknej z zewnątrz i wewnątrz kamienicy. Bardzo dobra komunikacja, duża powierzchnia 85m2 i wysoki standard wykończenia dają poczucie komfortu. Bardzo blisko Rynku Głównego, Hali Targowej i Galerii Kazimierz. Dzięki bardzo dobrze rozwiniętej komunikacji miejskiej możliwość szybkiego dostania się w każde miejsce Krakowa. Blisko wiele punktów handlowych i usługowych.\n\nMieszkanie składa się 3 odzielnych pokoi, przedpokoju, kuchni oraz 2 łazienek i balkonu. Jest możlwość umeblowania mieszkania według Państwa preferencji na koszt Właściciela. Ogrzewanie własne samodzielne. Możliwość podłączenia Internetu i telefonu.\n\n","englishDescription":null,"russianDescription":null,"parentListingId":null,"totalArea":85,"priceM2":{"amount":31.76,"currency":"PLN"},"noOfFloors":null,"floorNo":null,"furnished":true,"auctionStartingPrice":null,"auctionFrom":null,"auctionTo":null,"openDaysFrom":null,"openDaysTo":null}]}

i get: NULL

Although online parser like http://json.parser.online.fr/ is doing the work just fine.

I was using php built-in funcion json_decode, and some more from php.net, done by users.

Here's my php code:

    $url="url_to_json";
$str=file_get_contents($url);
$str = substr($str, 1, strlen($str) - 2); 
$str = preg_replace("/([a-zA-Z0-9_]+?):/" , "\"$1\":", $str); 
$new=(json_decode($new, true));
var_dump($new);

Any ideas?

Why not just use json_decode() straight on the file's contents? What's with the other code? — alex
– alex, Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 10:12
It's because of the unicode characters in name (Małopolskie/Kraków/Kraków-Śródmieście). json_last_error() will most likely return JSON_ERROR_UTF8 . Not an answer to the question, but hopes this will help — Maxim Krizhanovsky
– Maxim Krizhanovsky, Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 10:13
Please, after fix your code with the correct variable $new=(json_decode($str, true)); explain us if it's correct or is a charset issue. — corretge
– corretge, Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 10:22
Simplest thing have done the work, str replacing was totally unnecessar. Thank you for feedback. — PiotrC
– PiotrC, Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 10:41

corretge · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-27 10:13:58Z

10

+50

If the same JSON string is parsed in other online parser, you have a character-encoding issue, try to convert the string previously with utf8_encode:

 $new=(json_decode(utf8_encode($str), true));

As explained in json_decode:

The json string being decoded.

This function only works with UTF-8 encoded data.

answered Oct 27, 2011 at 10:13

corretge

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2 Comments

user247702 Over a year ago

I've changed my -1 to a +1 since you corrected your answer, but you should make it clear that @PietrC was using a wrong variable.

user1642018 Over a year ago

after spending 2.5 hours this is the best answer, non utf-8 characters were breaking json_decode, and var_dump was showing NULL.

Mob · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-27 10:23:26Z

4

Please use json_decode(); on the raw JSON data. As long as it is valid JSON you don't need any extra code to be able to access this smoothly.

Access the returned value as an array.

$arr = json_decode(file_get_contents($json));

edited Oct 27, 2011 at 10:23

answered Oct 27, 2011 at 10:18

Mob

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1 Comment

PiotrC Over a year ago

Thank you for reply, strangly it was the only thing, that i hadn't tried.

Riz · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-27 10:13:28Z

2

Use this :

$new = json_decode($str , true);

answered Oct 27, 2011 at 10:13

Riz

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Comments

Jeffrey Roosendaal · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-31 10:18:26Z

-1

When $json_a = json_decode($string, true); is return the null value so you can use below code:

$json_a = json_decode(utf8_encode($string), true);

edited Oct 31, 2016 at 10:18

Jeffrey Roosendaal

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answered Jan 20, 2015 at 7:23

Tarak Moyyi

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