How to correctly send data to json via php? - php

Question

I am working with Mailchimp API, and trying to pass the user name from my form to the list.
Mailchimp has a nested structure for an actual user name, and I don't understand how to correctly write code for it.
The JSON data structure looks like that:
{
"email_address": xxx#xxx.com
"merge_fields": {
"FNAME":
"LNAME":
}
}
To send the post request the script using a function with post method
$result = $MailChimp->post("lists/$mailchimp_list_id/members", [
'email_address' => $subscriber_email,
'status' => 'subscribed',
//'merge_fields'['FNAME'] => $subscriber_name;
]);
I try to send 'merge_fields'['FNAME'] => $subscriber_name;
Can anyone explain me how to get inside the JSON with PHP?

Answer 1

Try like this
$jsonArray = json_encode(array('0' =>'test','1' => 'test2'));
json_encode will convert your php array to json format
If you want to decode your json array to php array then use json_decode
$phpArray = json_decode('Any json encoded array');

Answer 2

Okay, this is the best way to work with JSONs in PHP:
Add this to get the full JSON Body:
$json = file_get_contents('php://input');
Validate the json. I work with the Respect Validator.
https://github.com/Respect/Validation/blob/master/docs/Json.md
if(v::json()->validate($json)){
$whatever = new whatever($json);
}
Normalize the json object with a php class
class whatever{
public $email;
public $merged_fields;
function __construct($json){
$json = json_decode($json);
if($json->email){
$this->email = $json->email
}else{
echo "Error";
}
}
}
Use jsonSerializable for encoding. This is a really good HowTo:
http://www.sitepoint.com/use-jsonserializable-interface/

Answer 3

First create a PHP data structure to match the required JSON structure and then json_encode() that structure.
The {} means object in JSON
The [] means array in JSON
<?php
$inner = new stdClass();
$inner->FNAME = $subscriber_first_name;
$inner->LNAME = $subscriber_last_name;
$member = new stdClass();
$member->email_address = 'xxx#xxx.com';
$member->merge_fields = $inner;
$json_string = json_encode($member);