add value to JSON of title

Question

I search a lot in stack and google try to find the answer which seems to be easy but I'm still stuck with it

I write a code to encode json with values I wanted from . and I would like to add a key / value to the JSON

the JSON is as following structure

    {
   - files: [
      {
        title: "works",
       - tracks: [
           {
             title: "File",
             format: "mp3"
           }
        ]
      },
   -{
       title: "season1",
       tracks: [
         {
             title: "Button-1",
             format: "wav"
         },
   -{
        title: "Beep-9",
        format: "wav"
     }
    ]
   }
  ]
}

I want to add to that a key and its value at the beginning to the json as properties under the title files , I mean that can be read by code as

json[files][new_key]

I tried to set that value like this

$json['new_key'] = "new_value";

but this causes adding numbers to the arrays in json , I don't why they numbered

this numbers affect my reading way of the json as JSONModel in my iOS app so , I hope you can help me thanks in advance

Answer 1

Assuming that the new value you want to add varies by file, you would need to loop through $json[files] and insert them per key/value pair.

<?php

for($i=0; $i<count($json); $i++)
    $json[files][$i]["new_key"] = "value";

?>

Answer 2

The reason you're getting numbers appearing is because you're adding a key to an array (which functions more or less as a list in JS). So before you basically have the object "files" as a list of objects zero-indexed like any other JS array. When you add the key, JS simply adds your key to the end of your present keys (in your case 0 and 1).

It seems like you have a list of multimedia objects where each has a title and a list of tracks. The most straightforward way to solve your issue would be as follows:

$fileItem['title'] = 'works';
$fileItem['tracks'] = array(
    array(
        'title' => 'File',
        'format' => 'mp3'
    )
);
$json['files'][] = $fileItem;

$fileItem['title'] = 'season1';
$fileItem['tracks'] = array(
    array(
        'title' => 'Button-1',
        'format' => 'wav'
    ),
    array(
        'title' => 'Beep-9',
        'format' => 'wav'
    )
);
$json['files'][] = $fileItem;

Then you JSON encode it and return it as you normally would. You can put the above in a loop as well. I lack enough context to recommend exactly how.

Answer 3

I'm still not sure what you have exactly, but it seems you are trying to manipulate the json string.

If done correctly, that is probably the most efficient solution, but what you could also do is:

• use json_decode to generate an array from your json string;
• locate the correct section / sub-array where you want to add your data;
• use array_unshift to prepend your new key - value pair;
• use json_encode to generate a json string from your complete array.