PDO json_encode does not work, where is the error?

Question

I'm trying this for the first time, so my code comes entirely from tutorials but it just doesn't work. I run PHP 7 with JSON 1.4.0 enabled.

I can print the resulting rows if I don't use json_encode, so my connection and the query are OK.

Error reporting is active but doesn't output anything either.

If I run the php file on my server, I just get a blank page.

Here's my code:

error_reporting(-1);

try {
    $conn=new PDO("mysql:host=server.com;dbname=theDB",username,password);
    $conn->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
    $stmt = $conn->prepare('SELECT * FROM table');
    $stmt->execute();

    header('Content-type: application/json');
    echo json_encode($stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC));



} catch(PDOException $e) {
        echo 'ERROR: ' . $e->getMessage();
}

Add `ini_set('display_errors', 1);` to your code or look in your error logs. — Jay Blanchard, Apr 26 '16 at 14:23
@bub the `-1` in PHP turns on [all PHP errors](http://php.net/manual/en/function.error-reporting.php), but they may not be displayed. — Jay Blanchard, Apr 26 '16 at 14:28
you're setting the exception mode AFTER you attempt the connection. by default pdo doesn't throw exceptions, so if the connection fails, it won't throw an exception, because exceptions haven't been enabled yet. — Marc B, Apr 26 '16 at 14:29
Uh @MarcB, setting those attributes like that [is correct](http://php.net/manual/en/pdo.error-handling.php), no? Having the query execution code in the same try statement is less than desirable, but if the connection fails it should throw the error. — Jay Blanchard, Apr 26 '16 at 14:31
Add [`echo json_last_error_msg();`](http://php.net/manual/en/function.json-last-error-msg.php) at the end. Add `;charset=utf-8` in the PDO connection string. — trincot, Apr 26 '16 at 14:34
@JayBlanchard Thank heavens for that, I just had to go and run a test to prove it. Mark frightened the bejazus out if me — RiggsFolly, Apr 26 '16 at 14:40
Thanks @trincot, now I get this error: "Fatal error: Uncaught PDOException: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2019] Unknown character set in /home/.sites/123/site7948827/web/bedauerlicher_fetcher.php:8 Stack trace: #0 /home/.sites/123/site7948827/web/bedauerlicher_fetcher.php(8): PDO->__construct('mysql:host=mysq...', 'username', 'password') #1 {main} thrown in /home/.sites/123/site7948827/web/bedauerlicher_fetcher.php on line 8 — PectoralisMajor, Apr 26 '16 at 14:42
It skeered me when I saw it @RiggsFolly! Thank goodness for coffee! — Jay Blanchard, Apr 26 '16 at 14:43
What did you chnage to get that error? Because it looks like you removed the `try {} catch {}` block — RiggsFolly, Apr 26 '16 at 14:46
@RiggsFolly I added `echo json_last_error_msg();` at the end of the file and `;charset=utf-8` at the end of the PDO string — PectoralisMajor, Apr 26 '16 at 14:49
Add UTF-8 like this `$conn=new PDO("mysql:host=server.com;dbname=theDB;charset=UTF8",username,password);` in the DSN — RiggsFolly, Apr 26 '16 at 14:53
@RiggsFolly YES! A GOD AMONGST CODERS! `charset=UTF8` instead of `charset=utf-8` did the trick! I'm getting my JSON object now! :) Thanks everyone! — PectoralisMajor, Apr 26 '16 at 14:56
Do you hear that everyone, Just goes to show how wrong one developer can be about another! hahhhaha I can beat my chest and Holla like Tarzan too, on a good day. — RiggsFolly, Apr 26 '16 at 14:58

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 26 '16 at 15:04

2

SOLUTION: (Thanks @trincot & @RiggsFolly) I had to change this line

$conn=new PDO("mysql:host=server.com;dbname=theDB",username,password);

to

$conn=new PDO("mysql:host=server.com;dbname=theDB;charset=UTF8",username,password);`

edited Apr 26 '16 at 15:04

RiggsFolly

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answered Apr 26 '16 at 15:02

PectoralisMajor

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 26 '16 at 15:09

1

json_encode() will not throw an exception on error, you have to verify the result yourself:

if (json_last_error()!==JSON_ERROR_NONE) {
    echo json_last_error_msg();
    exit;
}

Almost everytime this question comes here it's JSON_ERROR_UTF8:

Malformed UTF-8 characters, possibly incorrectly encoded

edited Apr 26 '16 at 15:09

RiggsFolly

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answered Apr 26 '16 at 15:05

Álvaro González

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PDO json_encode does not work, where is the error?

2 Answers2