json comes in as object not string

Question

Json is sitting on my localhost as: /data/:

{
"children": [
    {
        "name": "analytics",
        "size": "1243"
    },
    {
        "name": "math",
        "size": "4343"
    },
    {
        "name": "algebra",
        "size": "1936"
    },
    {
        "name": "calc",
        "size": "3936"
    },
    {
        "name": "geom",
        "size": "2136"
    },
    {
        "name": "Quant",
        "size": "4136"
    }
]

}

Here is how I am trying to access the json:

var interval = setInterval(function() {
        $.getJSON("http://localhost:8080/dev_tests/d3/examples/data/flare2.json", function(json) {
            $.each(json.children,function(i,name){
            alert(json.children);
            });

        });
        }, 3000);

The data comes in just fine. That is, when I run console.log(json) I can see the above json name/value txt pairs in firebug. However, before each name value pair I see the word Object. So for example instead of my log showing { name="analytics", size="1243"},.. it actually shows: [Object { name="analytics", size="1243"},... And that too is what my alert shows: [object Object] instead of name="analytics", size="1243". Why is this and is there a way to get my json name/value pairs in text so that I can store as a javascript String?

Many thanks in advance.

Gumbo · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 13:53:02Z

2

jQuery does automatically decode the response when using jQuery.getJSON or specifying the response as JSON. If you want the plain response, use jQuery.ajax instead.

answered Mar 10, 2012 at 13:53

Gumbo

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3 Comments

Jesse van Assen Over a year ago

Actually, jQuery.getJSON is shorthand for the ajax call. See the jQuery.getJSON page for the ajax method.

Rafay Over a year ago

@JessevanAssen well not exactly $.getJSON sets the dataType:json implicitly where as with $.ajax you have the flexibility of specifying the dataType to text etc

Jesse van Assen Over a year ago

No, what I mean is that the jQuery.getJSON actually calls the jQuery.ajax method with some default parameters, as seen on the jQuery.getJSON page.

tvanfosson · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 13:59:47Z

1

The O in JSON stands for "object." It's a way of serializing a JavaScript object to a string (and back). You seem to be relying on the conversion on one hand (referencing children) but not want to have the conversion done on the other hand. If you really want children to be a collection of strings in the format you describe, you should store it that way. If you really do want the object notation (and conversion to objects in the client), then you can simply use the properties of the object.

var interval = setInterval(function() {
    $.getJSON("http://localhost:8080/dev_tests/d3/examples/data/flare2.json", function(json) {
        $.each(json.children,function(i,item){
           alert("name = " + item.name + ", size = " + item.size);
        });

    });
    }, 3000);

answered Mar 10, 2012 at 13:59

tvanfosson

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1 Comment

Chris Over a year ago

Ahhhhhhh! I see... That's it. Finally. I could not get this delineation (obj to str) to click. Thank you so much for this!!

charlietfl · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 14:01:31Z

0

Everything you've stated is normal behavior for both firebug and alert. You can't alert an object.

Here's example of how to loop the response within your $.get callback

http://jsfiddle.net/Y3N4S/

$.each(json.children, function(i, item){
    $('body').append('<p>Name: '+item.name+' , Size: '+item.size+'</p>')

})

answered Mar 10, 2012 at 14:01

charlietfl

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Comments

Christoph · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-10 14:07:22Z

0

Well, working with Objects is the intend of "Javascript Object Notation".

Actually, your json is an Array of Objects.

{
  "children": [ // <-- Array
          {...},// <- Object
          {...} // <- Object
  ]
}

You can access your key-value pairs this way: children[0].name

for (var i=0;i< children.length; ++){
    console.log( children[i].name);
    console.log( children[i].size);
}

edited Mar 10, 2012 at 14:07

answered Mar 10, 2012 at 14:01

Christoph

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