Working with the JSON functions

FileMaker Pro provides several text functions that enable your custom app to parse and modify JSON data from other sources, such as web services that transfer data in JSON format via a REST API.

For more information about the JSON data format, see json.org.

Formatting JSON data

JSON data doesn’t require spaces or line endings between elements. However, to make the data easier to read while you debug problems, use the JSONFormatElements function, which adds tabs and line ending characters, as shown in Example JSON data.

Parsing JSON data

Use the following JSON functions to parse JSON data—that is, to get keys, values, or entire JSON objects or arrays that you can process further:

• JSONGetElement – Queries JSON data for an element (an object, array, or value)

• JSONListKeys – Lists the object names (keys) or array indexes in JSON data

• JSONListValues – Lists the values in JSON data

The first parameter of these functions, json, specifies the text field, variable, or text expression that contains valid JSON data to operate on.

The second parameter, keyOrIndexOrPath, specifies the portion of the JSON data to operate on:

• key – the name of a key in a JSON object

• index – the index of an element in a JSON array (the first element has an index of 0)

• path – a hierarchical string of key names, array indexes, or both

The following two types of syntax for the keyOrIndexOrPath parameter are supported: dot notation and bracket notation.

The difference between dot and bracket notation is that, instead of using periods (.) to separate key names, bracket notation surrounds key names with single quotes (') and brackets ([]). You can use either notation in keyOrIndexOrPath. However, you must use bracket notation if key names include periods, so that the JSON parser can correctly identify the entire key name. For example, if a key at the root of a JSON object is "layout.response", then keyOrIndexOrPath would be "['layout.response']".

The following example script creates a record for each product in a JSON array. Assuming the Example JSON data is stored in the $$JSON variable, the script uses JSONListValues to get the contents of the product array as a list of values and uses ValueCount to determine the number of products in the list. Creating a record for a product each time through the loop, the script uses GetValue to get the JSON object for a product from the list and sets the fields to the values obtained using JSONGetElement. Because the JSON functions parse the entire JSON object passed into them, it can be more efficient to use the JSON functions on smaller JSON objects inside a loop that is repeated many times.

Set Variable [ $ProductList ; Value: JSONListValues ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product" ) ]
Set Variable [ $ProductCount ; Value: ValueCount ( $ProductList ) ]
Set Variable [ $i; Value: 1 ]
If [ $ProductCount > 0 ]
   Loop
      New Record/Request
      Set Variable [ $Product ; Value: GetValue ( $ProductList ; $i ) ]
      Set Field [ Products::ID ; JSONGetElement ( $Product ; "id" ) ]
      Set Field [ Products::Price ; JSONGetElement ( $Product ; "price" ) ]
      Set Field [ Products::Stock ; JSONGetElement ( $Product ; "stock" ) ]
      Commit Records/Requests [ With dialog: Off ]
      Set Variable [ $i ; Value: $i + 1 ] 
      Exit Loop If [ $i > $ProductCount ]
   End Loop
End If

Changing and adding JSON data elements

To change values and add elements in JSON data, use the JSONSetElement function. The json and keyOrIndexOrPath parameters work in this function as described in Parsing JSON data. If keyOrIndexOrPath specifies an existing element, the value of that element is changed; if the element doesn’t exist, a new element is added.

JSONSetElement sets the specified element to the value parameter. You can specify any valid JSON value, from a simple string or number to a complex object or array.

The type parameter specifies the type of data in value so that the JSON parser will follow strict rules when handling each data type. For the supported data types, see JSONSetElement function. To insert data into json that is already formatted as a valid JSON element, set type to JSONRaw.

The following example adds the key-value pairs for a new product to an empty JSON object. Then the new object is added at the end of the product array in the $$JSON variable (see Example JSON data).

Set Variable [ $NewProduct ; Value: 
   JSONSetElement ( "{}" ;
      [ "id" ; "FB4" ; JSONString ] ; 
      [ "name" ; "Vanilla Cake" ; JSONString ] ; 
      [ "price" ; 17.5 ; JSONNumber ] ; 
      [ "stock" ; 12 ; JSONNumber ] ; 
      [ "category" ; "Cakes" ; JSONString ] ; 
      [ "special" ; true ; JSONBoolean ] 
   ) ]
Set Variable [ $NextIndex ; Value: 
   ValueCount ( 
      JSONListKeys ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product" ) 
   ) ] 
Set Variable [ $$JSON ; Value: 
   JSONSetElement ( 
      $$JSON ; "bakery.product[" & $NextIndex & "]" ; $NewProduct ; 
      JSONObject 
   ) ]

Deleting JSON data elements

To delete an element, use the JSONDeleteElement function. The json and keyOrIndexOrPath parameters work in this function as described in Parsing JSON data. The keyOrIndexOrPath parameter must specify an existing element in json.

The following example deletes the element in the product array whose "id" key has the value "FB3" in the $$JSON variable (see Example JSON data).

Set Variable [ $ProductCount ; Value: 
   ValueCount ( 
      JSONListKeys ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product" ) 
   ) ] 
Set Variable [ $i ; Value: 0 ]
If [ $ProductCount > 0 ]
   Loop
      Set Variable [ $ID ; Value: 
         JSONGetElement ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product[" & $i & "]id" ) ]
      If [ $ID = "FB3" ]
         Set Variable [ $$JSON ; Value: 
            JSONDeleteElement ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product[" & $i & "]" ) ]
         Exit Script [ Text Result: 0 ]
      End If
      Set Variable [ $i ; Value: $i + 1 ]
      Exit Loop If [ $i ≥ $ProductCount ]
   End Loop
End If

Handling errors in JSON data

If an error occurs while parsing the json parameter, the JSON functions return "?" followed by an error message from the JSON parser.

For example, when the ":" after the "bakery" key is missing in Example JSON data, this calculation

JSONGetElement ( $$JSON ; "bakery.product[0]id" )

returns this error message:

? * Line 3, Column 2
  Missing ':' after object member name
* Line 13, Column 5
  Extra non-whitespace after JSON value.

To determine whether JSON data is valid before using it, use the JSONFormatElements function and test whether the first character is "?". For example:

Set Variable [ $result ; Value: JSONFormatElements ( $$JSON ) ]
If [ Left ( $result ; 1 ) = "?" ]
   # $$JSON contains invalid JSON data.
End If

Alternately, to determine whether JSON data is valid before using it, use the JSONGetElementType function and test whether the whole object is a JSON object. For example:

Set Variable [ $result ; Value: JSONGetElementType( $$JSON, "" ) ]
If [ $result ≠ JSONObject ]
    # $$JSON contains invalid JSON data.
End If

Retrieving JSON data from a web service

Use the Insert from URL script step to access a web service, specify parameters for the information to retrieve, send and receive HTTP headers, and store the results in a variable or a field.

For example, a bakery makes its product list available to clients in JSON format via a REST API. The following returns the list of today’s specials as JSON data in the $$JSON variable:

Set Variable [ $url ; "https://bakery.example.com/rest/api/products" ]

Insert from URL [ With dialog: Off; Target: $$JSON ; $url ; Verify SSL Certificates ; cURL options: "--data list=specials" ]

For the data returned in $$JSON, see Example JSON data.

FileMaker Pro also provides several utility functions that handle the character encoding and cryptographic signing required by some REST APIs:

• HexDecode function

• HexEncode function

• TextDecode function

• TextEncode function

• Base64Decode function

• Base64EncodeRFC function

• CryptAuthCode function

• CryptDigest function

• CryptGenerateSignature function

• CryptVerifySignature function

Example JSON data

The following example JSON data contains a "bakery" object that has an array of three "product" objects, each with several key-value pairs.

{
    "bakery" : 
    {
        "product" : 
        [
            {
                "id" : "FB1",
                "name" : "Donuts",
                "price": 1.99,
                "stock" : 43,
                "category" : "Breads",
                "special" : true
            },
            {
                "id" : "FB2",
                "price": 22.5,
                "name" : "Chocolate Cake",
                "stock" : 23,
                "category" : "Cakes", 
                "special" : true
            },
            {
                "id" : "FB3",
                "price": 3.95,
                "name" : "Baguette",
                "stock" : 34,
                "category" : "Breads", 
                "special" : true
            }
        ]
    }
}

Notes 

• The JSON parser preserves the order of elements in an array, but not the order of elements in an object. Therefore, the JSON functions may return elements in an object in a different order from the order specified.

• In JSON data, fractional numeric values must use a period "." as the decimal separator regardless of the separator specified by your computer’s system formats or the formats used when the FileMaker Pro file was created.

Related topics 

• JSON functions

• Text functions

• Container functions