jq conditional update an array element

Question

I want to conditionally update an element value based on the value of another element within the same array.

For example, I want to find name=="weather" and change checked from "true" to "false"

[
  {
    "originalSourceId": null,
    "sourceConnection": {
      "id": null,
      "version": null,
      "properties": [
        {
          "id": null,
          "version": null
        }
      ],
      "name": "POSTGRESQL",
      "businessName": null
    },
    "checked": true,
    "newlyAdded": false,
    "discoveredEntities": [
      {
        "name": "weather",
        "checked": true,
        "checkedBeforeEdit": false,
        "storeFieldsAsStrings": false
      },
      {
        "name": "weather_2",
        "checked": true,
        "checkedBeforeEdit": false,
        "storeFieldsAsStrings": false
      }
    ],
    "defaultLevel": "MANAGED"
  }
]

the checked element will update to "false" for the same object with name = "weather"

[
  {
    "originalSourceId": null,
    "sourceConnection": {
      "id": null,
      "version": null,
      "properties": [
        {
          "id": null,
          "version": null
        }
      ],
      "name": "POSTGRESQL",
      "businessName": null
    },
    "checked": true,
    "newlyAdded": false,
    "discoveredEntities": [
      {
        "name": "weather",
        "checked": false,
        "checkedBeforeEdit": false,
        "storeFieldsAsStrings": false
      },
      {
        "name": "weather_2",
        "checked": true,
        "checkedBeforeEdit": false,
        "storeFieldsAsStrings": false
      }
    ],
    "defaultLevel": "MANAGED"
  }
]

I've tried jq . | jq '[.[].discoveredEntities[] | if (.name=="weather") then (.checked = "false") else . end]' ./test.json. But it is only return portion of it back with updated checked = false for weather. [ { "name": "weather", "checked": "false", "checkedBeforeEdit": false, "storeFieldsAsStrings": false }, { "name": "weather_2", "checked": true, "checkedBeforeEdit": false, "storeFieldsAsStrings": false } ] — CLO, Sep 04 '18 at 18:13

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 05 '18 at 06:17

4

Figured it out.

jq '[.[].discoveredEntities[] |= if (.name=="weather") then (.checked = "false") else . end]'\
    ./test.json

edited Sep 05 '18 at 06:17

Jeff Mercado

129,526
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answered Sep 04 '18 at 18:38

CLO

103
8

1

You don't need the outer square brackets `[]`, in this context, you're putting the results in an array. But since the body is just assignments, the initial input will always be returned. You'll end up with your original input updated, but in an array. – Jeff Mercado Sep 05 '18 at 06:20
1

It would be more consistent with the remainder of the document to use the boolean value `false` rather than the string `"false"`. – peak Sep 07 '18 at 18:04

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 05 '18 at 06:22

3

For these sorts of updates, it's easier to visualize if you think of it this way, locate the items you want to update first, then update them.

 (.[].discoveredEntities[] | select(.name == "weather").checked) = false
#[ locate the items to update                         ]
#                                                      [ update them   ]

answered Sep 05 '18 at 06:22

Jeff Mercado

129,526
32
251
272

While the update works, it has an unintended side effect of returning filtered results. Is there any way to include unmodified items to the result set? – Sergii Shymko Nov 17 '22 at 05:03

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 07 '18 at 18:03

Using map here yields a very straightforward if somewhat pedestrian solution:

map( .discoveredEntities |=
        map(if .name == "weather" then .checked = false else . end))

Note that it is evidently more appropriate to use false here rather than "false".

jq conditional update an array element

3 Answers3