"Illegal string offset" when working with foreach loop

Question

I'm getting the "Warning: Illegal string offset" error when trying to extract data from an array I have converted from JSON.

Now I gather this happens when the index you are using does not exist, which puzzles me because it does exist and works fine when I wish to access the array value directly.

My JSON is decoded into the array using the code $clean = json_decode($json_output, true); and if I use echo $clean['text'] the string value of 'text' is displayed fine.

However when I attempt this piece of code I get the error:

foreach ($clean as $key => $list){
$output .= $list['text'];}

I have a feeling I am making a silly mistake somewhere!

Please Check The structure of array With print_r($clean);

Muhammad Haseeb Khan
– Muhammad Haseeb Khan

2013-04-27 17:52:52 +00:00
Commented Apr 27, 2013 at 17:52 — Muhammad Haseeb Khan
– Muhammad Haseeb Khan, Commented Apr 27, 2013 at 17:52

Elias Van Ootegem · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-27 18:04:54Z

1

With $list['text'] you are actually accessing the value of $clean['text'], which is apparently the string "text". Only, you're accessing it as if it were an associative array - actually exactly the same one as $clean. Try this:

foreach ($clean as $key => $list)
{
    if ($key === 'text')
    {// only echo for $clean['text']
        echo 'array clean, key: '.$key.' => '.$list."\n";
        continue;//next
    }
    echo $key.' => '.$list."\n";//shows all other key-value pairs
}

That should clear things up for you: $key will hold all keys that $clean holds, including text, $list will be assigned the value referenced by that key. It's as simple as that, really

edited Apr 27, 2013 at 18:04

answered Apr 27, 2013 at 17:51

Elias Van Ootegem

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3 Comments

hek2mgl Over a year ago

Note that your answer is wrong! if $clean would be a string, then there would be a different error message: Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach()

Elias Van Ootegem Over a year ago

@hek2mgl: I'm not saying $clean is a string, that's an associative array, $list is a string that the OP is accessing as if it were $clean... I was trying to be concise, but I'll edit, because I see why you might think I meant otherwise.

Elias Van Ootegem Over a year ago

@hek2mgl: Sorry, but there's no point in adding "thanks hek2mgl for pointing out that my original answer was confusing". In essence, both say the same thing.

hek2mgl · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-27 17:49:31Z

0

Seems that $list is a string rather than an array. Therefore $list['text'] fails. var_dump($list); inside the loop will help.

Note that var_dump() will be always your friend if you encounter such problems.

answered Apr 27, 2013 at 17:49

hek2mgl

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