[SOLVED] Converting a 3rd party array string to PHP Array

[JasonO]

Hi guys,

 

I've got a problem trying to convert a string to a PHP array. I've been thinking of writing a function to do this, but not sure where to start.

 

I thought about exploding the data out, but then I have a problem if there is an array within the array (which is quite common with the data I have).

 

The format of the array is like so:

["test1","1234",500,500,"",4]

 

Some arrays may be like this, with other arrays inside them:

["test1",[1,2,3,4],500,[5,262,"test2"],"",4]

 

Is there any easy way to go about this?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Regards,

Jason

[Adam]

Try json_decode.

[mattal999]

Well I worked this function up. It can only go two arrays deep.

 

<?php

$string = "[\"test1\",[1,2,3,4],500,[5,262,\"test2\"],\"\",4]";
$array = array();
$array2 = array();
$inarray2 = false;

$string = substr($string, 1);
$string = substr($string, 0, -1);
$string = explode(",", $string);

foreach($string as $value) {
if($inarray2 == true) {
if(substr($value, -1) == "]") {
$array2[] = substr($value, 0, -1);
array_push($array, $array2);
$array2 = array();
$inarray2 = false;
} else {
$array2[] = $value;
}
} else {
if(substr($value, 0, 1) == "[") {
$array2[] = substr($value, 1);
$inarray2 = true;
} else {
$array[] = $value;
}
}
}

print_r($array);

?>

[JasonO]

Amazing, theres a PHP function already that can do the trick! Json_decode works brilliantly

 

["test1","1234",500,500,"",4]

 

With that being put through json_decode..

 

Array
(
    [0] => test1
    [1] => 1234
    [2] => 500
    [3] => 500
    [4] => 
    [5] => 4
)

 

Brilliant! Even works with multiple arrays in an array!

 

Thanks for your help, never thought it would be that easy 

[JasonO]

Update.

 

It works to a point, I found that since it's not actually JSON code there are times where the function will fail.

 

[bank,"TNL_bank_acc_123456"]

 

This fails because bank is meant to be a string, but is not represented as one with speech marks around it.

 

Using this validator I found this to be the cause of the issue: http://www.jsonlint.com/

[Adam]

You'll be able to solve that problem simply enough with a regular expression. I've finished work now though, off home! I'll be on later on if you still need help.

[JasonO]

I'm looking up and seeing things based around the preg_match function, but I am unable to find a correct pattern to detect if it has quotation marks around it or not.

[JasonO]

<?php
$string1 = "Blah";
$pattern = "/[A-z]/";

if (preg_match($pattern, $string1, $matches)) {
  echo "Match was found <br />";
  echo $matches[0];
} else {
  echo "No Match";
}
?>

 

I have this, but to check for "quotation marks" around the text, and if theres not add them is way beyond my skill

[Adam]

Hmmm, only given it a quick test...

 

<?php

function clean_json($str)
{
    $str = preg_replace('#([\w]+)(,|\])#', "\"$1\"$2", $str);
    return json_decode($str);
}

print_r(clean_json('[bank,"TNL_bank_acc_123456"]'));

?>

 

Edit: Made need to alter it slightly for other characters that could be in the data. The draw back is it will add quotes around integers as well, but you could just do a test for that.

[JasonO]

Amazing, works a treat. I've managed to sort all the data into tables and it's very neat and easy process thanks to your function. Fantastic, thank you!