How to handle JSON that contains strings with bracket?

Question

I'm creating an activity that get a JSON file from internet (via AsyncTask). I'm experiencing this error: org.json.JSONException: Unterminated string at character...

I checked the JSON file that I downloaded inside the app and I discovered that there is an object that contains brackets. Here is the suspected JSON object:

[{ ... }{"id":"5674563646","cat":"Uncategorized","subcat":"Uncategorized","name":"Tecno Lab","desc":"We run open hours from 8-10pm and [most] Saturdays from 12-6pm.","addr":"Main Street","city":"New York","country":"United States"} { ... }]

So, how to escape the brackets from my activity?

Here is the part of AsyncTask in which I download the JSON file:

protected String doInBackground(String... urls) {
    int timeout = 10;
    int i, count = 0;

    BasicHttpParams basicParams = new BasicHttpParams();
    HttpConnectionParams.setConnectionTimeout(basicParams, timeout * 1000);
    HttpConnectionParams.setSoTimeout(basicParams, timeout * 1000 );
    DefaultHttpClient client = new DefaultHttpClient(basicParams);

    StringBuilder stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
    for (i = 0; i < urls.length; i++) {
        HttpGet request = new HttpGet(urls[i]);
        request.addHeader("Cache-Control", "no-cache");

        try {
            HttpResponse response = client.execute(request);
            HttpEntity entity = response.getEntity();
            InputStreamReader in = new InputStreamReader(entity.getContent());
            BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(in);
            String line = "";

            while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
                stringBuilder.append(line);

                count++;
            }
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            return null;
        }
        publishProgress(count * 100 / urls.length);
    }
    return stringBuilder.toString();
}

protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
    super.onPostExecute(result);

...
    JSONArray ja = new JSONArray(result);
...

Actually, that JSON is invalid, as it is missing the opening quotation mark before `Main Street`. — CommonsWare, Nov 24 '15 at 19:25
As long as the brackets are within quotes, I don't think they are a problem. — OneCricketeer, Nov 24 '15 at 19:25
json format problem:- "addr":Main Street", SyntaxError: Unexpected token — Androider, Nov 24 '15 at 19:26
Sorry about that missing quotation mark, it's my fault. I edited the question. — smartmouse, Nov 25 '15 at 07:49

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 24 '15 at 19:45

1

JSON response normally contains two kinds of brackets {} and [] but both the brackets have quite different meaning and use. While, the first one represents JSON Object, the second one represents JSON Array.

In the JSON file you downloaded, the problem has nothing to do with the [most] word as it is inside double quotes. The problem in your JSON input is "addr": "Main Street". The opening double quote is missing there.

Corrected JSON input:

{"id":"5674563646","cat":"Uncategorized","subcat":"Uncategorized","name":"Tecno Lab","desc":"We run open hours from 8-10pm and [most] Saturdays from 12-6pm.","addr":"Main Street","city":"New York","country":"United States"}

answered Nov 24 '15 at 19:45

Swapnil Dey

31
6

2

I edited the JSON file, the missing quotation mark is due my mistake in pasting here part of the file i download. Please see the updated question. – smartmouse Nov 25 '15 at 08:23
Run the code again, you shouldn't get an error. The JSON you posted is valid and shouldn't give any error. Please verify your entire JSON file at [link](http://jsonlint.com) – Swapnil Dey Nov 25 '15 at 12:40

How to handle JSON that contains strings with bracket?

1 Answers1