How to return JSON from a CakePHP 2.2 controller?

Question

I'm invoking a controller function:

$.get("http://localhost/universityapp/courses/listnames", function(data){
    alert("Data Loaded: " + data);
});

And in my Controller:

public function listnames() {
    $data = Array(
        "name" => "Sergio",
        "age" => 23
    );
    $this->set('test', $data);
    $this->render('/Elements/ajaxreturn'); // This View is declared at /Elements/ajaxreturn.ctp
}

And in that View:

<?php echo json_encode($asdf); ?>

However, the Action is returning the entire page including the Layout content (header, footer, navigation).

What am I missing here? How can I return just the JSON data without the Layout content?

@MoyedAnsari: If you write that in as your answer I'll accept it as the solution. — sergserg, Oct 18 '12 at 20:10

score 32 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 10 '15 at 14:15

32

Set autoRender=false and return json_encode($code):-

public function returningJsonData($estado_id){
    $this->autoRender = false;

    return json_encode($this->ModelBla->find('first',array(
        'conditions'=>array('Bla.bla_child_id'=>$estado_id)
    )));
}

edited Sep 10 '15 at 14:15

drmonkeyninja

8,490
4
31
59

answered Jul 10 '14 at 20:43

Guilherme Ferreira

2,209
21
23

5

+1 The simpliest solution for this simple situation. – Oliboy50 Sep 24 '14 at 11:33

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 18 '12 at 20:15

You need to disable layout like this

$this->layout = null ;

Now your action will become

public function listnames() {
    $this->layout = null ;
    $data = Array(
        "name" => "Sergio",
        "age" => 23
    );
    $this->set('test', $data);
    $this->render('/Elements/ajaxreturn'); // This View is declared at /Elements/ajaxreturn.ctp
}

score 7 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 19 '12 at 06:05

7

Read up about JsonView on the manual.

answered Oct 19 '12 at 06:05

ADmad

8,102
16
18

Anil kumar · Answer 4 · 2015-06-24T12:07:09.347

You can try any of the following to return json response (I've taken failure case here to return json response) :

public function action() {
    $this->response->body(json_encode(array(
        'success' => 0,
        'message' => 'Invalid request.'
    )));

    $this->response->send();
    $this->_stop();
}

OR

public function action() {
    $this->layout = false;
    $this->autoRender = false;
    return json_encode(array(
        'success' => 0,
        'message' => 'Invalid request.'
    ));
}

How to return JSON from a CakePHP 2.2 controller?

4 Answers4