Java - Retrieve values of variable type from JSONObject

Question

I have some JSON like so:

{"result":[{"job":{"type":"Employee","title":"","occupation":"Underwater Basket Weaver"}}]}

I am getting the occupation value like so:

import org.json.JSONArray;
import org.json.JSONObject;

String occupation = null;

JSONArray resultArray = obj.getJSONArray("result");
JSONObject firstResult = resultArray.getJSONObject(0);
occupation = firstResult.getJSONObject("job").getString("occupation");

However, for some reason, the occupation value is not always a String. My guess is that is could be an int or it could be null. I end up with an exception like this:

org.json.JSONException: JSONObject["occupation"] not a string. at org.json.JSONObject.getString(JSONObject.java:658)

What should you do when you are dealing with JSONObjects that take on variable data types?

You might have to test if getString("occupation") is valid with isNull(String). According to json.org/javadoc/org/json/… , getString(...) throws the exception if it doesn't find one — Robb
– Robb, Commented Jul 8, 2015 at 20:32

waders group · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-08 20:52:33Z

1

Apply this to receive all the data types in string format

occupation = firstResult.getJSONObject("job").get("occupation").toString();

answered Jul 8, 2015 at 20:52

waders group

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2 Comments

Dino Tw Over a year ago

This will have NullPointerException if firstResult.getJSONObject("job").get("occupation") returns null.

T.J. Crowder Over a year ago

So, you do this boldface thing all the time, then?

maframaran · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-08 20:32:23Z

1

This is your initial Json:

{"result":[{"job":{"type":"Employee","title":"","occupation":"Underwater Basket Weaver"}}]}

when you do this:

JSONArray resultArray = obj.getJSONArray("result");

You get:

[{"job":{"type":"Employee","title":"","occupation":"Underwater Basket Weaver"}}]

Then:

JSONObject firstResult = resultArray.getJSONObject(0);

You get:

{"job":{"type":"Employee","title":"","occupation":"Underwater Basket Weaver"}}

firstResult.getJSONObject("job")

Produce:

{"type":"Employee","title":"","occupation":"Underwater Basket Weaver"}

To finish, is you wanna get the occupation value use: get("occupation").

answered Jul 8, 2015 at 20:32

maframaran

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1 Comment

Aramis NSR Over a year ago

Your answer reminded me the video on "if google was a guy" when he was shouting "That is not what she asked for".

Dino Tw · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-08 20:47:50Z

1

You could do

String occupation = String.valueOf(firstResult.getJSONObject("job").get("occupation"));

if the field occupation always has a value(not array or another JSON object).

edited Jul 8, 2015 at 20:47

answered Jul 8, 2015 at 20:32

Dino Tw

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Comments

Aramis NSR · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-10 11:57:05Z

0

I had your problem as well, when you mentioned:

However, for some reason, the occupation value is not always a String. My guess is that is could be an int or it could be null. I end up with an exception like this:

Answer: When your JSON column data type isnt Integer,String... it needs to be defined as an Object or a Class

Object o = new Object();

and then you can use the if-else conditions to check what the wrapper class(your type) can be and then do the following accordingly. Check the image below please.

source of image : https://www.webucator.com/how-to/how-check-object-type-java.cfm

answered Mar 10, 2021 at 11:57

Aramis NSR

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