Parsing of JSON returns error while the JSON seems to be fine

Question

When I try to parse the following JSON in ruby (or at http://json.parser.online.fr/) I get an error, but I can't figure out why.

JSON to parse:

"{\"RED\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>2},
  \"DANGEROUS_SITUATION\"=>{\"t1\"=>28, \"t2\"=>33},
  \"SUB\"=>{\"t1\"=>1, \"t2\"=>0}, \"RED_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0},
  \"CRASH\"=>{\"t1\"=>10, \"t2\"=>6}, \"TRICKS\"=>{\"t1\"=>2,
  \"t2\"=>3}, \"FREE_TRIES\"=>{\"t1\"=>9, \"t2\"=>5},
  \"OWNERS\"=>{\"t1\"=>48, \"t2\"=>52}, \"ERRORS\"=>{\"t1\"=>5,
  \"t2\"=>9}, \"YELLOW_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0},
  \"FANS\"=>{\"t1\"=>40, \"t2\"=>41}}"

Edit: as ceommented below, this is not Json, but a stringified Ruby hash, is there a way to convert this in to a Ruby hash?

This is not JSON. This is stringified ruby hash. As such, it can't be parsed (with json parser) — Sergio Tulentsev
– Sergio Tulentsev, Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 10:04
Okay, is there a way to convert this back in to a ruby hash? — Reinier
– Reinier, Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 10:08
There are several ways, but you better fix the thing that produced this content, and make it emit proper json. JSON is a valid data exchange format. Stringified ruby hashes are not. — Sergio Tulentsev
– Sergio Tulentsev, Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 10:09
True, I managed to find the source of this and changed it, this fixed the issue thanks — Reinier
– Reinier, Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 10:16

Joe Woodward · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-21 10:32:02Z

The most secure way for you to do this would be to gsub the rockets for colons and then parse the string i.e.

stringified_hash = "{\"RED\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>2}, \"DANGEROUS_SITUATION\"=>{\"t1\"=>28, \"t2\"=>33}, \"SUB\"=>{\"t1\"=>1, \"t2\"=>0}, \"RED_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0}, \"CRASH\"=>{\"t1\"=>10, \"t2\"=>6}, \"TRICKS\"=>{\"t1\"=>2, \"t2\"=>3}, \"FREE_TRIES\"=>{\"t1\"=>9, \"t2\"=>5}, \"OWNERS\"=>{\"t1\"=>48, \"t2\"=>52}, \"ERRORS\"=>{\"t1\"=>5, \"t2\"=>9}, \"YELLOW_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0}, \"FANS\"=>{\"t1\"=>40, \"t2\"=>41}}"
JSON.parse(stringified_hash.gsub('=>', ':')

You can also eval to return the stringified_hash back to a Hash and then call .to_json but that's open to attacks if there is any evaluatable code in the string

json = eval("{\"RED\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>2}, \"DANGEROUS_SITUATION\"=>{\"t1\"=>28, \"t2\"=>33}, \"SUB\"=>{\"t1\"=>1, \"t2\"=>0}, \"RED_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0}, \"CRASH\"=>{\"t1\"=>10, \"t2\"=>6}, \"TRICKS\"=>{\"t1\"=>2, \"t2\"=>3}, \"FREE_TRIES\"=>{\"t1\"=>9, \"t2\"=>5}, \"OWNERS\"=>{\"t1\"=>48, \"t2\"=>52}, \"ERRORS\"=>{\"t1\"=>5, \"t2\"=>9}, \"YELLOW_CARS\"=>{\"t1\"=>0, \"t2\"=>0}, \"FANS\"=>{\"t1\"=>40, \"t2\"=>41}}").to_json

Eric · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-21 10:07:41Z

0

The expected Json format is rather like that :

{
 "RED":{"t1":0, "t2":2}, 
 "DANGEROUS_SITUATION":{"t1":28, "t2":33}, 
 "SUB":{"t1":1, "t2":0}, 
 "RED_CARS":{"t1":0, "t2":0}
}

edited Jul 21, 2016 at 10:07

answered Jul 21, 2016 at 10:06

Eric

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