POST Array through JSON foreach - php

Question

The question:
I have this array coming through a POST field
{"name":"sample","email":"a#sample.co.uk","comments":"test"}
I want to split it apart and run it through an array, so the end result would be
name sample
email a#sample.co.uk
comments test
What I have tried is this:
$a = $_POST['rawRequest'];
$a = json_encode($a);
foreach ($a as $k => $v) {
echo "\$a[$k] => $v <br />";
}
But it doesn't do anything, however when I test it with this variable (over using the POST)
$a = array("name" => 1,"email" => 2,"sample" => 3);
It works as expected.
Trying to understand what is going on
It is obviously because what I am dealing with here is two different types of array. However after endless google'ing I can't find anywhere which explains the difference (of the arrays below basically). So +1 to an explination which makes my relatively newbie mind understand what is happening and why it is wrong
{"name"=>"sample","email"=>"a#sample.co.uk"=>"comments":"test"}
{"name":"sample","email":"a#sample.co.uk","comments":"test"}

Answer 1

$aa Isn't a array, is a JSON:
$a = $_POST['rawRequest'];
$aa = json_encode($a);
Thus, you can't use foreach in $aa.

Answer 2

If you want to decode a json string into an array instead of an object, use the 'Array' flag.
$array = json_decode($json_string, true);

Answer 3

Try as
$data = '{"name":"sample","email":"a#sample.co.uk","comments":"test"}';
$json = json_decode($data,true);
foreach($json as $key=>$val){
echo $key." - ".$val;
echo "<br />";
}
Check the output here
http://phpfiddle.org/main/code/ytn-kp0
You have done as
echo "\$a[$k] => $v <br />";
This would output as
$a[name] => sample
"$a" will be considered as string
You can do the way you are doing but you need to change the echo something as
echo $k ."=>" .$v. "<br />";
Since you are looping the array using foreach and $k will contain the key of the array and $v will be the value !!

Answer 4

I have Json decoded the encoded array and looped it through a foreach below with comments explaining what each part does.
/* The Json encoded array.*/
$json = '{"name":"sample","email":"a#sample.co.uk","comments":"test"}';
/* Decode the Json (back to a PHP array) */
$decode = json_decode($json, true);
/* Loop through the keys and values of the array */
foreach ($decode as $k => $v) {
$new_string .= $k . ' | ' . $v . '<br/>';
}
/* Show the result on the page */
echo $new_string;
The above code returns the following;
name | sample
email | a#sample.co.uk
comments | test
If you want to access the array values one by one you can also use the following code.
/* The Json encoded array.*/
$json = '{"name":"sample","email":"a#sample.co.uk","comments":"test"}';
/* Decode the Json (back to a PHP array) */
$decode = json_decode($json, true);
echo $decode['name'];//returns sample
echo $decode['email'];//returns a#sample.co.uk
echo $decode['comments'];//returns test