Handling Complex Arrays in PHP

Question

I've worked with arrays in the past with PHP, but generally simple associative arrays that are easy to manage and crawl.

I am making an HTTP POST request to an API endpoint that returns a lot of data in JSON format. I'm using json_decode($response, true) to convert the json into an array, and am trying to access components of the array without luck - just serving me a blank page. Alternatively, if I do print_r on the array I just get a jumble of data, so I know at least the API is returning data.

Here's a snippet of the response from the API

{
"data": {
    "accounts": [
        {
            "locations": [
                {
                    "name": "Test Location",
                    "soundZones": [
                        {
                            "name": "Main",
                            "nowPlaying": {
                                "startedAt": "2017-09-06T00:38:51.000Z",
                                "track": {
                                    "name": "Some Song Name 123",
                                    "imageUrl": "https://some-cdn-url.com",
                                    "Uri": "5hXEcqQhEjfZdbIZLO8mf2",
                                    "durationMs": 327000,
                                    "artists": [
                                        {
                                            "name": "SomeName",
                                            "Uri": "5lpH0xAS4fVfLkACg9DAuM"
                                        }
                                    ]
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    ]
                },

How would I use PHP to access, let's say, the NAME value under the track object? (In this example I'd be trying to return the value "Some Song Name 123")

Here's the code I'm using.. I know I'm way off

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
  echo "cURL Error #:" . $err;
} else {

$response = json_decode($response, true);

print_r($response[0]);

sf_admin · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-06 01:14:54Z

2

That's because you're being returned not just an array, but both an array and an object.

<?php

    echo $response[0]->data->accounts[0]['locations'][0]->soundZones[0]->nowPlaying->track->name;

edited Sep 6, 2017 at 1:14

answered Sep 6, 2017 at 1:13

sf_admin

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2 Comments

Altimus Prime Over a year ago

sf_admin's answer is good because it would make it unnecessary to convert the json to an array.

Patrick Over a year ago

Thanks, this works exactly like I hoped. I appreciate the help

Altimus Prime · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-06 01:22:11Z

2

I like sf_admin's answer better, because this kind of messy object really lends itself more to being an object, but using json_decode($response, true) then I think you should be able to access it like this:

echo $response[0]['data']['accounts'][0]['locations'][0]['soundZones'][0][0]['nowPlaying']['track']['name'];

answered Sep 6, 2017 at 1:22

Altimus Prime

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1 Comment

Patrick Over a year ago

This works, but you're right I think sf_admin's version does it better. Thanks so much for the help

Been Kyung-yoon · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-06 01:32:56Z

1

Try this.

//$response = json_decode($response, true);
$response = json_decode($response);

// loop
if (isset($response->data->accounts)) {
    foreach ($response->data->accounts as $account) {
        foreach ($account->locations as $location) {
            foreach ($location->soundZones as $soundZone) {
                print_r($soundZone->nowPlaying->track->name);
            }
        }
    }
}

// first
if (isset($response->data->accounts[0]->locations[0]->soundZones[0]->nowPlaying->track->name)) {
    print_r($response->data->accounts[0]->locations[0]->soundZones[0]->nowPlaying->track->name);
}

Some Song Name 123

edited Sep 6, 2017 at 1:32

answered Sep 6, 2017 at 1:23

Been Kyung-yoon

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