Using Python to extract JSON from a .js file also containing non-JSON declarations?

Question

I have inherited a number of javascript files containing a mixture of JSON objects and other js declarations (functions, variables). I'm writing a python script to move the data contained in the JSON objects into another system.

I'd like to avoid duplicating any sort of parser functionality in what is essentially a throw away script and avoid combing through the files by hand.

Is there a nice (pythonic) solution to filter out the JSON in these files and pass it to json.loads() ?

Why not use some kind of javascript engine, possibly with a python bridge, to access the new objects created (which are just "plain") objects, then output those as json? — Marcin, May 01 '12 at 09:25

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:28

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You can use regular expressions to isolate those JSON objects you are interested in from your available files. Here is a relevant discussion

edited May 23 '17 at 10:28

Community

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answered May 01 '12 at 09:23

A_A

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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 11 '12 at 14:50

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If the data just contained json then probably, but if it contains other javascript declarations then it won't be considered well-formed json

answered Apr 11 '12 at 14:50

James Fair

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Right. I'm looking for a nice way filter out only the JSON. – John Carter Apr 11 '12 at 15:04
@John Carter I never used phython, but I never heard of a way in any language to extract json among other javascript declarations – James Fair Apr 11 '12 at 15:12

Using Python to extract JSON from a .js file also containing non-JSON declarations?

2 Answers2