entering json data into smart suggest plugin - php

Question

I have purchased the jquery plugin called smart suggest and would like to pass a json array as the data rather than an array.
the current data file 'sample-data.php' looks like:
array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/apple.jpg', 'description' => 'One of America\'s favorite fruits.'),
'Avocado' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/avocado.jpg', 'description' => 'The avocado is a dense, evergreen tree, shedding many leaves in early spring.'),
'Banana' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/banana.jpg', 'description' => 'Bananas are fast-growing herbaceous perennials arising from underground rhizomes.'),
'Gooseberry' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/gooseberry.jpg', 'description' => 'Gooseberries are deciduous shrubs.'),
'Grape' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/grape.jpg', 'description' => 'Grapes come in large clusters.'),
'Jackfruit' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/jackfruit.jpg', 'description' => 'The jackfruit tree is handsome and stately.'),
'Mango' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/mango.jpg', 'description' => 'Mango trees make handsome landscape specimens and shade trees.'),
'Papaya' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/papaya.jpg', 'description' => 'The papaya is a short-lived, fast-growing, woody, large herb to 10 or 12 feet in height. It is also regarded by some as being delicious.'),
'Peach' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/peach.jpg', 'description' => 'These are great in the summertime.'),
'Pear' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/pear.jpg', 'description' => 'Pears are delicious fruits.'),
'Pineapple' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/pineapple.jpg', 'description' => 'The pineapple plant is a herbaceous perennial, 2-1/2 to 5 ft.'),
'Rose Apple' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/rose_apple.jpg', 'description' => 'The rose apple is a highly decorative evergreen large shrub.'),
'Tamarind' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/tamarind.jpg', 'description' => 'The bright green, pinnate foliage is dense and feathery in appearance.'),
'White Sapote' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/white_sapote.jpg', 'description' => 'The white sapote forms a medium to very large evergreen tree.'),
);
$vegetables = array(
'Alfalfa' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/alfalfa.jpg', 'description' => 'One cup of raw, sprouted alfalfa seeds, contains 1.32 grams of protein.'),
'Artichoke' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/artichoke.jpg', 'description' => 'One medium artichoke cooked with no added salt has 3.47 grams protein.'),
'Asparagus' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/asparagus.jpg', 'description' => 'Half cup (about 6 spears) cooked with no added salt contains 2.16 grams of protein.'),
'Broccoli' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/broccoli.jpg', 'description' => 'Half cup of broccoli, cooked with no added salt contains 1.86 grams protein.'),
'Carrots' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/carrots.jpg', 'description' => 'Half cup cooked with no added salt contains 0.59 grams protein.'),
'Celery' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/celery.jpg', 'description' => 'One cup of celery, cooked, boiled, drained with no added salt has 1.25 grams protein.'),
'Corn' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/corn.jpg', 'description' => 'One large ear of yellow corn, cooked with no salt contains 4.02 grams protein.'),
'Green Pepper' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/green_pepper.jpg', 'description' => 'One small raw pepper contains 0.64 grams protein.'),
'Mushroom' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/mushroom.jpg', 'description' => 'Half a cup of raw mushrooms contains 1.08 grams of protein.'),
'Onion' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/onion.jpg', 'description' => 'One small onion cooked without salt contains 0.82 grams protein.'),
'Potato' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/potato.jpg', 'description' => 'One medium baked potato without salt contains 4.33 grams of protein.'),
'Spinach' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/spinach.jpg', 'description' => 'One cup of raw spinach contains 0.86 grams of protein.'),
'Squash' => array('image' => 'assets/images/fruits/squash.jpg', 'description' => 'One cup of sliced summer squash, boiled with no added salt contains 1.87 grams of protein.'),
);
?>
this array is passed into the 'search_multiple.php' file which I would like to pass in as JSON:
array(), 'vegetables' => array());
foreach ($fruits as $name => $data)
{
if (stripos($name, $q) !== false)
{
$results['fruits'][$name] = $data;
}
}
foreach ($vegetables as $name => $data)
{
if (stripos($name, $q) !== false)
{
$results['vegetables'][$name] = $data;
}
}
/* Get the data into a format that Smart Suggest will read (see documentation). */
$final_fruits = array('header' => array(), 'data' => array());
$final_fruits['header'] = array(
'title' => 'Fruits', # Appears at the top of this category
'num' => count($results['fruits']), # Displayed as the total number of results.
'limit' => 5 # An arbitrary number that you want to limit the results to.
);
foreach ($results['fruits'] as $name => $data)
{
$final_fruits['data'][] = array(
'primary' => $name, # Title of result row
'secondary' => $data['description'], # Description below title on result row
'image' => $data['image'], # Optional URL of 40x40px image
'onclick' => 'alert(\'You clicked on the '.$name.' fruit!\');', # JavaScript to call when this result is clicked on
'fill_text' => strtolower($name) # Used for "auto-complete fill style" example
);
}
$final_vegetables = array('header' => array(), 'data' => array());
$final_vegetables['header'] = array(
'title' => 'Vegetables', # Appears at the top of this category
'num' => count($results['vegetables']), # Displayed as the total number of results.
'limit' => 5 # An arbitrary number that you want to limit the results to.
);
foreach ($results['vegetables'] as $name => $data)
{
$final_vegetables['data'][] = array(
'primary' => $name, # Title of result row
'secondary' => $data['description'], # Description below title on result row
'image' => $data['image'], # Optional URL of 40x40px image
'onclick' => 'alert(\'You clicked on the '.$name.' vegetable!\');', # JavaScript to call when this result is clicked on
'fill_text' => strtolower($name) # Used for "auto-complete fill style" example
);
}
/* Output JSON */
$final = array($final_fruits, $final_vegetables);
header('Content-type: application/json');
echo json_encode($final);
die();
?>
I would like to know how to pass json data into the 'search_multiple.php' file. For example:
<?php
$fruits = '{
"Apple":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/apple.jpg","description":"One of America\'s favorite fruits."},
"Avocado":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/avocado.jpg","description":"The avocado is a dense, evergreen tree, shedding many leaves in early spring."}
"Banana":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/banana.jpg","description":"Bananas are fast-growing herbaceous perennials arising from underground rhizomes."},
"Gooseberry":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/gooseberry.jpg","description":"Gooseberries are deciduous shrubs."}
"Grape":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/grape.jpg","description":"Grapes come in large clusters."},
"Jackfruit":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/jackfruit.jpg","description":"The jackfruit tree is handsome and stately."}
"Mango":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/mango.jpg","description":"Mango trees make handsome landscape specimens and shade trees."},
"Papaya":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/papaya.jpg","description":"The papaya is a short-lived, fast-growing, woody, large herb to 10 or 12 feet in height. It is also regarded by some as being delicious."}
"Peach":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/peach.jpg","description":"These are great in the summertime."},
"Pear":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/pear.jpg","description":"Pears are delicious fruits."},
"Pineapple":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/pineapple.jpg","description":"The pineapple plant is a herbaceous perennial, 2-1/2 to 5 ft."}
"Rose Apple":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/rose_apple.jpg","description":"The rose apple is a highly decorative evergreen large shrub."},
"Tamarind":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/tamarind.jpg","description":"The bright green, pinnate foliage is dense and feathery in appearance."}
"White Sapote":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/white_sapote.jpg","description":"One cup of sliced summer squash, boiled with no added salt contains 1.87 grams of protein."},
}';
$vegetables = '{
"Alfalfa":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/apple.jpg","description":"One of America\'s favorite fruits."},
"Artichoke":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/avocado.jpg","description":"The avocado is a dense, evergreen tree, shedding many leaves in early spring."}
"Asparagus":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/banana.jpg","description":"Bananas are fast-growing herbaceous perennials arising from underground rhizomes."},
"Broccoli":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/gooseberry.jpg","description":"Gooseberries are deciduous shrubs."}
"Carrots":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/grape.jpg","description":"Grapes come in large clusters."},
"Celery":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/jackfruit.jpg","description":"The jackfruit tree is handsome and stately."}
"Corn":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/mango.jpg","description":"Mango trees make handsome landscape specimens and shade trees."},
"Green Pepper":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/papaya.jpg","description":"The papaya is a short-lived, fast-growing, woody, large herb to 10 or 12 feet in height. It is also regarded by some as being delicious."}
"Mushroom":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/peach.jpg","description":"These are great in the summertime."},
"Onion":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/pear.jpg","description":"Pears are delicious fruits."},
"Potato":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/pineapple.jpg","description":"The pineapple plant is a herbaceous perennial, 2-1/2 to 5 ft."}
"Spinach":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/rose_apple.jpg","description":"The rose apple is a highly decorative evergreen large shrub."},
"Squash":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/tamarind.jpg","description":"The bright green, pinnate foliage is dense and feathery in appearance."}
}';
?>
The documentation is on http://jamesskidmore.com/scripts/smartsuggest/
I have hosted my current progress on http://kabeerpc.tk.

Answer 1

There is no such thing as a JSON array; an array in a JSON document is merely a representation (or serialization) of an array. Therefore, you can simply decode the JSON:
<?php
$fruits_json = '{
"Apple":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/apple.jpg",
"description":"One of America\'s favorite fruits."},
"Avocado":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/avocado.jpg",
"description":"The avocado is a dense, evergreen tree."}}';
$vegetables_json = '{
"Alfalfa":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/pear.jpg",
"description":"An american alfafa."},
"Artichoke":{"image":"assets/images/fruits/peach.jpg",
"description":"An American artichoke."}}';
// Decode input JSON
$fruits = json_decode($fruits_json, true);
$vegetables = json_decode($vegetables_json, true);
$q = isset($_GET['q']) ? $_GET['q'] : '';
$final = array(
_construct_smartSuggestion('fruits', $fruits, $q),
_construct_smartSuggestion('vegetables', $vegetables, $q)
);
header('Content-type: application/json');
die(json_encode($final));
function _construct_smartSuggestion($name, $described, $q) {
$data = array();
foreach ($described as $dname=>$d) {
// Search for the search query
if (stripos($dname, $q) === false &&
stripos($d['description'], $q) === false) {
continue;
}
$data[] = array('primary' => $dname,
'secondary' => $d['description'],
'image' => $d['image']);
}
$header = array('title'=>$name, 'num'=>count($data), 'limit'=>5);
return array('header'=>$header, 'data'=>$data);
}
Make sure that your JSON serialization is valid. Your example JSON is missing commas after many entries (for example Avocado).
Here's a live demo. Searching for American will produce three of the four available results there.