_encode() for ParseObject

[aruvalcaba]

Hello I think the _encode() for ParseObject is not implemented correctly.

_encode() should not json_encode at all (Like the ParseGeoPoint encode method). If nested arrays are encoded (due to recursion) then encoding the top level array will cause a heap of issues when parsing the final JSON using existing JSON parsers.

The encode should really be a toArray() method, where the result can be passed to a json_encode().

Line 790 and 795 should check if $value and $item are either a instanceof ParseObject or ParseGeoPoint. Since ParseGeoPoint is not being checked, then it will never be encoded.

I have made changes to my application as necessary, but would like to hear discussion. Hope this is clear.

[gfosco]

ParseGeoPoint implements Encodable, which is checked, and the _encode method is called on that.

Not seeing the issue here, unless you can explain further. The _encode method is not for public use, but had to be public due to PHP not having package protected scope.

[aruvalcaba]

Ok maybe then I am using the incorrect function to convert query results from Parse into JSON.
Is there such a function?

Simply doing json_encode(ParseObject) returns a blank.

[gfosco]

It looks like we don't provide this, as the SDK never needs to do this. (When it saves, it only encodes the staged changes.)

What's the use-case where you're turning everything to json? Just curious the best solution...

Since you mention query results, I wonder if a modification to ParseQuery would be a plan (return the JSON results from the server, skipping the step of creating ParseObject from each row.)

[aruvalcaba]

Sorry for late response. Ya if there's a way to pass a flag in requests to parse that returns a JSON that would be great. While it is ideal to use native SDKs for the mobile app my company is developing, we are also trying to cover platforms not currently supported by Parse.

[gfosco]

@aruvalcaba Can you check PR #26 and test if it works for your scenario?

[LucaIaco]

Hi, I'm using the Php Parse SDK and the _encode method for ParseFile and ParseGeoPoint is not called. My scenario is a ParseObject instance with some fields, and one of them is of type ParseGeoPoint and the other is ParseFile. Calling the mainObj->_encode() method, i see:

• numeric field with value = 0 returned as NULL (???)
• boolean field with value = false returned as NULL (???)
• ParseGeoPoint returned as {} (???)
• ParseFile returned as {} (???)

I've tried to change your method in the ParseObject class
in this way and now it works perfectly (except for numeric and boolean fields):

public function _encode()
  {
    $out = array();
    if ($this->objectId) {
      $out['objectId'] = $this->objectId;
    }
    if ($this->createdAt) {
      $out['createdAt'] = $this->createdAt;
    }
    if ($this->updatedAt) {
      $out['updatedAt'] = $this->updatedAt;
    }
    foreach ($this->serverData as $key => $value) {
      $out[$key] = $value;
    }
    foreach ($this->estimatedData as $key => $value) {
      // ======= <CHANGED LINE OF CODE> =======
      if (is_object($value) && method_exists($value,"_encode") ){  //$value instanceof ParseObject) {
        $out[$key] = $value->_encode();
      }else if (is_array($value)) {
        $out[$key] = array();
        foreach ($value as $item) {
         // ======= <CHANGED LINE OF CODE> =======
          if (is_object($item) && method_exists($item,"_encode") ){ //$item instanceof ParseObject) {
            $out[$key][] = $item->_encode();
          } else {
            $out[$key][] = $item;
          }
        }
      } else {
        $out[$key] = $value;
      }
    }
    return json_encode($out);
  }

Maybe there are a lot of different approach to use for that, maybe i'm wrong on the usage of the _encode method, but it seems that it's not called at now.

I'm using Php version 5.5.10 , parse php sdk ver. 1.0.1 through composer

Thanks for your work!

[gfosco]

Why are you using _encode? What are you trying to accomplish?.. Is it just to get a json interpretation of the whole object?

[LucaIaco]

Hi,
yes, i'm working with Laravel Framework, and using the framework provided php function Response::json() ( it take an array or object as parameter ) it doesn't work ( return empty object as "{}" ). So, i've tried to make the json_encode of my ParseObject instance, and for same weird reason it doesn't work too ( return always {}). A var_dump of that ParseObject instance return the full structure of the object, perfectly. Then i've seen the method _encode() that says that return the json representation of the base object. That was cool for me because it was exactly what i needed. so combining with the json_decode(myParseObject->_encode()) it is a sort of sanitization of the original ParseObject. Finally it works for both Response::json() and json_encode, as accepted object.

The only problem is what i've written in the previous question. So, the not encoded fields and ( maybe ) the fields that are NULL instead of 0 or false.

I'm using the wrong method? Is there some other way to obtain the json structure of a ParseObject ?

Thanks for the response

[gfosco]

There isn't.. but, I think we should add one. Stay tuned.

[LucaIaco]

Perfect. Thanks a lot! ;)

[aruvalcaba]

Looks like Lucalaco explained the same exact problem much better.

[LucaIaco]

Hi, i know that _encode() method is not the provided official way to encode in json but, just to know you, i've found that it doesn't work also for this case:
Given a ParseObject obtained from a query where i use a $query->includeKey("subParseObjectField"), if i try to encode that parseObject with the _encode() method, it encode but return it as string, i mean, decoding the result of _encode, it returns a string for the "subParseObjectField" field, instead of the decoded structure. I've tested it with original ParseObject php class and with my modified ParseObject php class ( the one shown in the post above ). The problem still persist. To be clear, here an example result

Expected

[  
   {  
      "id":"ab77OCaXgO",
      "numericField":2265,
      "subParseObjectField":{  
                 "objectId":"eHpUFDpTf9",
                 "createdAt":{  
                 "date":"2014-09-09 17:35:21",
                     "timezone_type":2,
                     "timezone":"Z"
                 },
                "updatedAt":{  
                "date":"2014-09-10 21:46:18",
                    "timezone_type":2,
                   "timezone":"Z"
                },
                "ACL":{  },
               "ownerUser":{  
                   "objectId":"ab77OCaXgO"
               },
               "otherSubField":1234
      },
      "stringField":"hey man!!",
      "updatedAt":{  
         "date":"2014-06-13 15:43:29",
         "timezone_type":2,
         "timezone":"Z"
      },
      "createdAt":{  
         "date":"2014-09-11 06:03:42",
         "timezone_type":2,
         "timezone":"Z"
      }
   }
]

Obtained

[  
   {  
      "id":"ab77OCaXgO",
      "numericField":2265,
      "subParseObjectField":"{\"objectId\":\"eHpUFDpTf9\",\"createdAt\":{\"date\":\"2014-09-09 17:35:21\",\"timezone_type\":2,\"timezone\":\"Z\"},\"updatedAt\":{\"date\":\"2014-09-10 21:46:18\",\"timezone_type\":2,\"timezone\":\"Z\"},\"ACL\":{},\"ownerUser\":\"{\\\"objectId\\\":\\\"ab77OCaXgO\\\"}\",\"otherSubField\":1234}",
      "stringField":"hey man!!",
      "updatedAt":{  
         "date":"2014-06-13 15:43:29",
         "timezone_type":2,
         "timezone":"Z"
      },
      "createdAt":{  
         "date":"2014-09-11 06:03:42",
         "timezone_type":2,
         "timezone":"Z"
      }
   }
]

I hope it could help you ;)

[matvp]

For now, you can encode the relational object manually. Wouldn't be too hard to make it recursive. I have the same "problem", but resolving it manually fixes it temporarily. Since a dev replied with "stay tuned", I suppose they're working on a solution.

$query = new ParseQuery("_User");
$query->includeKey('userInfo');

$results = $query->find();

foreach ($results as $result) {
    $result->{'userInfo'} = json_decode($result->get('userInfo')->_encode());
    $response[] = $result->_encode();
}

echo '[' . implode(',', $response) . ']';