JSONException: Issues trying to retrieve data from JSON

Question

Alright so I'm attempting to pull data from JSON's lists such as this:

{"code":200,"status":"OK","data":{"timings":{"Fajr":"04:17","Sunrise":"05:30","Dhuhr":"12:20","Asr":"15:42","Sunset":"19:11","Maghrib":"19:11","Isha":"20:24","Imsak":"04:07","Midnight":"00:20"},"date":{"readable":"17 Jun 2017","timestamp":"1497652236"}}}

exclusively the specific prayers. My code to find the data is as follows:

 class SaveTheFeed extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void>{
    String jsonString = "";
    String result = "";
    EditText chosenCity = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editText3);
    String city = chosenCity.getText().toString();

    @Override
    protected Void doInBackground(Void... voids) {
        DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient(new BasicHttpParams());
        HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost("http://api.aladhan.com/timingsByCity?city=" + city + "&country=AE&method=2");
        httpPost.setHeader("Content-type", "application/json");
        InputStream inputStream;

        try{
            HttpResponse response = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
            HttpEntity entity = response.getEntity();
            inputStream = entity.getContent();
            BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(inputStream, "UTF-8"), 8);
            StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
            String line;
            while ((line = reader.readLine()) !=null){
                builder.append(line + "\n");
            }
            jsonString = builder.toString();

            JSONObject jObject = new JSONObject(jsonString);

            JSONObject data = (JSONObject) jObject.get("data");

            JSONArray jArray = (JSONArray) data.get("timings");

            outputTimings(jArray);

        } catch (ClientProtocolException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (JSONException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        return null;
    }
    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(Void aVoid) {
        TextView prayerTimes = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.prayerTimes);
        prayerTimes.setText(result);
    }

    protected void outputTimings(JSONArray jsonArray){
        String[] prayers= {"Fajr", "Sunrise", "Dhuhr", "Asr", "Sunset", "Maghrib", "Isha", "Imsak", "Midnight"};
        try{
            for(int i = 0; i < jsonArray.length(); i++){
                JSONObject cityObject =
                        jsonArray.getJSONObject(i);
                result = result +  prayers[i] + " : "+
                         cityObject.getString(prayers[i]) + "\n";
            }

I get this error that points towards line 85 (the JSONObject jObject = new JSONObject(jsonString); line)

06-17 00:24:15.973 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: org.json.JSONException: Value of type java.lang.String cannot be converted to JSONObject 06-17 00:24:15.973 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at org.json.JSON.typeMismatch(JSON.java:111) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at org.json.JSONObject.(JSONObject.java:160) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at org.json.JSONObject.(JSONObject.java:173) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at azanmute.android.com.azanmute.MainActivity$SaveTheFeed.doInBackground(MainActivity.java:85) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at azanmute.android.com.azanmute.MainActivity$SaveTheFeed.doInBackground(MainActivity.java:60) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:305) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:237) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:243) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1133) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:607) 06-17 00:24:15.974 2866-2907/azanmute.android.com.azanmute W/System.err: at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:761)

So my understanding is that Im pointing towards the data incorrectly or mixed up JSONObjects with JSONArrays. Ive already tried both this and this but still receive the same error.

From the exception, I'd say the problem is your String jsonString is not a valid JSON string. Can you put a debug here and provide the exact value of jsonString just before l. 85? — Sir4ur0n, Jun 16 '17 at 22:39
Just print what you are getting in HTTP response to be sure the URL sends you a valid json response — Zakir, Jun 16 '17 at 22:40
So which is line 85 of `MainActivity.java`? It's *always* useful to reduce things to a [mcve] - there's a lot of irrelevant code in your question at the moment. — Jon Skeet, Jun 16 '17 at 22:47
Aside from anything else, `timings` *isn't* an array - it's another object... — Jon Skeet, Jun 16 '17 at 22:48
Your json string on the top is correct, but the error log is say that it's not correct. Then let's use the debugger to print out the jsonString before the `new JSONObject(jsonString);` to check it out — TuyenNTA, Jun 16 '17 at 22:49
Bear with me please :D I'm still new at this. I added Log.d(TAG, jsonString); and it gave me this: **Method not allowed. Must be one of: GET** — Fencer300, Jun 17 '17 at 01:19
once try it -> JSONObject jObject = new JSONObject(jsonString.toString()); — Aashutosh Kumar, Jun 17 '17 at 05:57

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 16 '17 at 22:54

1

You haven't confused JSON Object and JSON Array in this case. This is definitely a JSONObject.

It's possible that you've added 'invisible' characters to your string that the JSONObject constructor doesn't like (i.e. "\n"). Try this:

JSONObject jObject = new JSONObject(jsonString.substring(jsonString.indexOf("{"), jsonString.lastIndexOf("}") + 1));

Also please note that "timings" is also a JSONObject and not a JSONArray. Example of a JSONArray, where "cars" is the JSONArray:

{"name":"John","age":30,"cars":[ "Ford", "BMW", "Fiat" ]}

answered Jun 16 '17 at 22:54

Dan Carter

433
4
14

I went ahead and I try adding your line. It still errors but this time its different error: `org.json.JSONException: Unterminated object at character 84 of { padding:30px; font:12px/1.5 Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; } h1{ margin:0; font-weight:normal; line-height:48px; }` with the issue remaining in the same line – Fencer300 Jun 17 '17 at 01:24
@Fencer300 could you post the error for our information? Edit: thanks – Dan Carter Jun 17 '17 at 01:26
@Fencer300 your HTTP request isn't returning a valid JSON, it's returning the HTML page content. – cнŝdk Jun 17 '17 at 01:28
Haha screw me. [This](http://api.aladhan.com/timingsByCity?city=Dubai&country=AE&method=2) is exactly what I have it requesting. Where did I go wrong? – Fencer300 Jun 17 '17 at 01:30
See the documentation for JSONObject here: https://stleary.github.io/JSON-java/org/json/JSONObject.html#JSONObject-java.lang.String- The issue is almost certainly with your JSON. Try printing/logging whatever comes back into your jsonString and pasting it into a tool like https://jsonlint.com/ to check it is valid. – Dan Carter Jun 17 '17 at 01:38
@DanCarter I did and it prints out just fine. I double checked the source of the api page and it has zero html in it so im confused why im getting an html error – Fencer300 Jun 21 '17 at 15:47

JSONException: Issues trying to retrieve data from JSON

1 Answers1