Here's what I have at the moment:
<?php
$string = file_get_contents("http://api.steampowered.com/ISteamUser/GetPlayerSummaries/v0002/?key=##################################&steamids=76561198040884950");
$json=json_decode($string);
?>
<script type="text/javascript">
alert("<?php echo $json; ?>");
</script>
All I'm trying to do at this stage is receive the JSON information. I'm quite new to jQuery and PHP so not sure where I'm going wrong.
By using json_decode you're converting the JSON from a string (which can be universally understood and parsed) to a PHP object or array, which will not print out the way you wish. You should avoid converting it and simply do something like this:
<?php
$string = file_get_contents("http://api.steampowered.com/ISteamUser/GetPlayerSummaries/v0002/?key=...&steamids=76561198040884950");
?>
<script type="text/javascript">
var json = <?php echo $string; ?>;
// do things with the JSON; parse it into an object, etc
</script>
check this out http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.parseJSON/ ,something like this
var obj = jQuery.parseJSON('{"name":"John"}');
alert( obj.name === "John" );
When using json_decode through PHP, your output will be returned in an array;
When returning json information from external files to jquery scripts you must ensure to use the proper syntax. Codex
Secondly I'm not sure if you know, but in using file_get_contents, you need your php.ini file to have the following flag:
allow_url_fopen = 1
If you don't want to, there are alternatives: Check it
Try using <?php print_r($json); ?> instead of echo. It's doing what you want it to. echo just isn't any good at handling arrays.
json_decode. but what you want exactly ?