Failing to use loaded JSON

Targets Web
1

Hello all,

I am trying to use JSON for the first time, and I am experiencing some difficulty. This is a web application, using Xojo 2019 R3.1 on Win 10 . I need to validate addresses. After some research, I settled on Melissa.net. So far, I can connect to the service, send my partial address and obtain a JSON string that I output to a file. I can open that file and load it in a JSONItem (the variable shows the string in debug). It all goes bad when I try to use the data. OK, time to show data and some code. The returned SON string looks something like this (I doctored the values because it was a real address…)

{"Version":"3.0.1.151","TransmissionReference":"993416484223","TransmissionResults":"","TotalRecords":"1","Records":[{"RecordID":"1","Results":"AC01,AC03,AV24,GS05","FormattedAddress":"61142 186e Av;Montral QC  H9X 3S7","Organization":"","AddressLine1":"61142 186e Av","AddressLine2":"Montral QC H9X 3S7","AddressLine3":"","AddressLine4":"","AddressLine5":"","AddressLine6":"","AddressLine7":"","AddressLine8":"","SubPremises:"","DoubleDependentLocality":"","DependentLocality":"","Locality":"Montral","SubAdministrativeArea":"","AdministrativeArea":"QC","PostalCode":"H9X 3S7","AddressType":"1","AddressKey":"H9X3S7","SubNationalArea":"","CountryName":"Canada","CountryISO3166_1_Alpha2":"CA","CountryISO3166_1_Alpha3":"CAN","CountryISO3166_1_Numeric":"124","CountrySubdivisionCode":"CA-QC","Thoroughfare":"Av 186E","ThoroughfarePreDirection":"","ThoroughfareLeadingType":"Av","ThoroughfareName":"186E","ThoroughfareTrailingType":"","ThoroughfarePostDirection":"","DependentThoroughfare":"","DependentThoroughfarePreDirection":"","DependentThoroughfareLeadingType":"","DependentThoroughfareName":"","DependentThoroughfareTrailingType":"","DependentThoroughfarePostDirection":"","Building":"","PremisesType":"","PremisesNumber":"61142","SubPremisesType":"","SubPremisesNumber":"","PostBox":"","Latitude":"55.556938","Longitude":"-77.579201"}]}

My code is this (G1 is a JSONItem):

[code]G1.Load(tempStr)

'maintenant, on utilise les valeurs rcupres
Dim A1 As Variant
Dim A2 As Variant
Dim A2A As Variant
Dim A2B As Variant
Dim A3 As Variant
Dim A4 As Variant
Dim A5 As Variant
Dim A6 As Variant

A1 = G1.lookup(“PremisesNumber”, “Erreur”)
A2B = G1.lookup(“ThoroughfareLeadingType”, “Erreur”)
A2A = G1.lookup(“ThoroughfareName”, “Erreur”)
A3 = G1.lookup(“FormattedAddress”, “Erreur”)
A5 = G1.lookup(“Locality”, “Erreur”)
A6 = G1.lookup(“PostalCode”, “Erreur”)
[/code]

The A variables only get the error default value (“Erreur”), not the value contained in the JSON string for the key. What am I missing?

I noticed that my JSON string appears to be an array of just one record. Does that make any difference in the context?

Any help will be welcome!

2

That’s because G1 is the top-level dictionary, which doesn’t have those keys. You need to drill down to the record itself. That appears to mean getting the value for key “Records”, which is an array; then take its first (only) element, which is the record that has the keys you are looking for.

3

This make it a little easier to visualize what @J Andrew Lipscomb has described:

{
  "Version": "3.0.1.151",
  "TransmissionReference": "993416484223",
  "TransmissionResults": "",
  "TotalRecords": "1",
  "Records": [
    {
      "RecordID": "1",
      "Results": "AC01,AC03,AV24,GS05",
      "FormattedAddress": "61142 186e Av;Montréal QC  H9X 3S7",
      "Organization": "",
      "AddressLine1": "61142 186e Av",
      "AddressLine2": "Montréal QC H9X 3S7",
      "AddressLine3": "",
      "AddressLine4": "",
      "AddressLine5": "",
      "AddressLine6": "",
      "AddressLine7": "",
      "AddressLine8": "",
      "SubPremises": "",
      "DoubleDependentLocality": "",
      "DependentLocality": "",
      "Locality": "Montréal",
      "SubAdministrativeArea": "",
      "AdministrativeArea": "QC",
      "PostalCode": "H9X 3S7",
      "AddressType": "1",
      "AddressKey": "H9X3S7",
      "SubNationalArea": "",
      "CountryName": "Canada",
      "CountryISO3166_1_Alpha2": "CA",
      "CountryISO3166_1_Alpha3": "CAN",
      "CountryISO3166_1_Numeric": "124",
      "CountrySubdivisionCode": "CA-QC",
      "Thoroughfare": "Av 186E",
      "ThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
      "ThoroughfareLeadingType": "Av",
      "ThoroughfareName": "186E",
      "ThoroughfareTrailingType": "",
      "ThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
      "DependentThoroughfare": "",
      "DependentThoroughfarePreDirection": "",
      "DependentThoroughfareLeadingType": "",
      "DependentThoroughfareName": "",
      "DependentThoroughfareTrailingType": "",
      "DependentThoroughfarePostDirection": "",
      "Building": "",
      "PremisesType": "",
      "PremisesNumber": "61142",
      "SubPremisesType": "",
      "SubPremisesNumber": "",
      "PostBox": "",
      "Latitude": "55.556938",
      "Longitude": "-77.579201"
    }
  ]
}
4

BTW, I had to fix that JSON near “Subpremises” (missing close quote) to make it valid. I assume that was some copy and paste error.

5

Thank you both! I would have marked both responses as answers if the forum allowed! I don’t know if I used the best way forward, but my approach, following your solution, was to create two additional JSON variables (G2 and G3) and fill them as follows:

G1.Load(tempStr) G2 = G1.lookup("Records", "Erreur") G3 = G2.ValueAt(0)

I can lookup my address data in G3.

Gentlemen, your help made my day! Thank you again!

6

That approach is a fine one. (Except I do recommend more descriptive variable names.)

7

Indeed. My variables and control names are usually self-descriptive. Except when I do experimental stuff. TransmissionReference, Self.lblAddressPreview.Text etc.