How to return JSON call as string without special characters

Question

I am looking to return a files contents and I am using a webservice and JSON to do this.

I have managed to return the contents but it is not in the format I want it to be in.

I need the top text area to be in the same format as the textarea on the bottom:

enter image description here

I need to to display the \n as a new line rather than just remove it from the string.

Current code (ignore alerts, only for my own testing purposes):

function CallWebService(CSSFile) {
    var stringToDisplay = "";
    var webMethod = "../services/BrokerAdmin/CSSComparison.asmx/GetFileContents";
    $.ajax({
        type: "POST",
        async: false,
        url: webMethod,
        data: JSON.stringify({
            CSSFile: CSSFile
        }),
        contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
        dataType: "json",
        success: function(msg) {},
        error: function(e) {
            alert("Error = " + e.responseText);
        },
        complete: function(msg) {
            alert(msg);
            if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != null) {
                alert("msg.responseText = " + msg.responseText);
                $('#ctl00_BodyContent_elm2').val(msg.responseText);
            } else if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).Message.toString() == "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() == null) {
                alert("YOU LOSE!");
            } else {
                alert("TRY AGAIN");
            }
        }
    });
}

Can anyone help?

Parse this JSON using JSON.parse(that_text) then grab parsed_json.d. Post your code. — Salman Arshad
– Salman Arshad, Commented May 25, 2015 at 10:41
@SalmanA it was this answer that provided me with the information to answer my own question. If you want to give a more detailed answer I will mark as "The Accepted Answer"? — Paul C
– Paul C, Commented May 25, 2015 at 11:17

Paul C · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-25 11:15:40Z

Solution found!

complete: function (msg) {
            alert(msg);
            if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != null) {
                alert("msg.responseText = " + msg.responseText);
                $('#ctl00_BodyContent_elm2').val(msg.responseText);
            }
            else if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).Message.toString() == "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() == null) {
                alert("YOU LOSE!");
            }
            else {
                alert("TRY AGAIN");
            }
        }

In my original code I was able to change the val() being passed to my elm2. Code change below:

complete: function (msg) {
                alert(msg);
                if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() != null) {
                    $('#ctl00_BodyContent_elm2').val(JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString());
                }
                else if (JSON.parse(msg.responseText).Message.toString() == "" || JSON.parse(msg.responseText).d.toString() == null) {
                    alert("Nothing in CSS file.");
                }
                else {
                }
            }

All now displaying as it should :) Thanks for everyones help!

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:58:11Z

0

try the solution in javascript regexp remove all special characters

take you json return and replace special characters:

var desired_json = json_text.replace(/[^\w\s]/gi, '');

It could be that you want only to replace new lines:

var desired_json = json_text.replace(/\n/gi, '');

EDIT: to show the special characters as line breaks...

 var desired_json = json_text.replace(/\r\n/gi, '<br>');

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:58

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered May 25, 2015 at 10:31

Dror Hilman

7,5779 gold badges42 silver badges57 bronze badges

2 Comments

Paul C Over a year ago

unfortunately this didn't work. It replaced all the special characters but I need to to display the \n as a new line rather than just remove it from the string. I should probably add this to the original question to make it a bit clearer as to what I am trying to do

Dror Hilman Over a year ago

you may need to replace the \n with <br/> to show it in a HTML page. json_text.replace(/\n/gi, '<br>');

user3489813 · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-25 11:14:48Z

0

ignoring the alerts i take that $('#ctl00_BodyContent_elm2').val(msg.responseText); is the actual code to output the results? what kind of element is '#ctl00_BodyContent_elm2'?

try adding some <textarea> in your html and in ajax complete add

$('textarea').val( JSON.parse(json).d );

is that what you're looking for?

answered May 25, 2015 at 11:14

user3489813

233 bronze badges

1 Comment

Paul C Over a year ago

It was in a textarea but it was how I was parsing the JSON call that was causing the problem. See the marked answer for more info if you wish

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