Return JSON response

Question

I'm pulling in XML data and I need to return it to the front end as JSON.

I'm processing user input via AJAX like this:

$.ajax({ url: '/process.php',
         data: {category: 'sportingGoods'},
         type: 'post',
         success: function(output) {
                      console.log(output);
                  }
});

This is sent to process.php

if(isset($_POST['category']) && !empty($_POST['category'])){
    $category = $_POST['category'];
    //echo $category;

    switch($category){
        case 'automotive': 
            $amazon->automotive; 
            break;
        case 'sportingGoods': 
            echo $amazon->sportingGoods(); 
            break;

    }
}

Then, I access a method in a class. In this case, $amazon->sportingGoods()

Now, sportingGoods() does a bunch of stuff, then returns a result set like this:

    $xml = simplexml_load_file($signedUrl);
    $json = json_encode($xml);
    $products = json_decode($json,TRUE);
    return $products;

The XML and JSON data is there. I can print_r($products) and print_r($xml) and see the results in the console. However, when I try and return it, I don't get anything. So, am I not returning an object? How can I gain access to the result?

Why 2 uses of json_encode() in sportingGoods()? jQuery will likely decode one round, but you're probably left needing to decode the other -- console.log($.parseJSON(output));. — Jonathan Lonowski
– Jonathan Lonowski, Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 23:43
Sorry I didn't notice you were decoding your JSON object before echoing it. You need to echo out the JSON object. Then as Jonathan says, parse the JSON with $.parseJSON() in the client — Simian
– Simian, Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 23:45
using json_encode you should also add to your ajax request that: dataType: "json", so that you can work with objects. In any case, return isn't enough, you have echo what you want to send to the client. — briosheje
– briosheje, Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 23:45

visevo · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-12 23:50:48Z

1

You need to echo out your json and then stop the script. From there, you'll use parseJSON to convert the json response into a js array.

Try this:

Your $.ajax({:

success: function( output ) {
    var response = $.parseJSON( output );
    // do something with your js array
},

and in sportingGoods():

return json_encode( $xml );

edited Jun 12, 2015 at 23:50

answered Jun 12, 2015 at 23:47

visevo

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5 Comments

Jon Over a year ago

There already is an echo made from the return of that function (sportingGoods), though not for automotive.

Paul Dessert Over a year ago

Thanks! That helps. I'm now seeing the object in the console.

visevo Over a year ago

Welcome. Don't forget to use die() or exit() after you echo the response

Paul Dessert Over a year ago

@Jon Is your point that I should be able to return a result from sportingGoods and echo it with the switch? That was my intention at first. Not sure why that doesn't work.

Jon Over a year ago

@PaulDessert Yes, though, you return the decoded json (ie a php array) from your function, and when you just echo an array, all you will get is Array, so you should have your function return the json_encode'd version. ie return $json; rather than return $products;

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