Android- Json object come as object or array

Question

I have this json response from the api, and the response can't be change

data class Weather (
  val category: String,
  val id: String,
  val meta: Meta
)


data class Meta (
  val id: String,
  val name: String,
  val details: String
)

Json respose

  { 
   "weather" : {
      "category": "articles",
      "id": "1",
      "meta": {
         "id": "1",
         "name": "The shortest article. Ever.",
         "details": "see"
    },
    "weather" : {
      "category": "articles",
      "id": "2",
      "meta": []
   }

If meta is empty, it come with an array but if not empty, it come with object.

Retrofit throws

  com.google.gson.JsonSyntaxException: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Expected BEGIN_OBJECT but was BEGIN_ARRAY

the api can't be modify so this has to be fix on client end. How can I solve this

Does this answer your question? [Data Class Either Object or Array](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/54995939/data-class-either-object-or-array) — Mark, Sep 24 '22 at 09:17
from where do I slot in the mapper as retrofit does the mapping it self — Muraino, Sep 24 '22 at 09:19
like you calling retrofit interface and it throws the error at the point of calling.. so where does the mapper comes in — Muraino, Sep 24 '22 at 09:21
adding to the retrofit builder https://stackoverflow.com/a/59513827/4252352 — Mark, Sep 24 '22 at 09:23
I mean this json is just awful, multiple json objects called with the same key `"weather"` rather than an array of `weather` objects.. aside from your current issue ..choose another weather api. — Mark, Sep 24 '22 at 13:06
I just use the weather as sample case.. I am not calling weather api — Muraino, Sep 24 '22 at 14:04

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 24 '22 at 10:05

You can not make this possible

meta object must be an object when have value and null when do not have any value, or an array with value when exist and empty when not exist.

meta can not be an array and object in the same time. this is very bad mistake from who created this response body.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 24 '22 at 10:42

0

You can use Any type for meta. and put check at your code level like this.

 data class Weather (
      val category: String,
      val id: String,
      val meta: Any
    )

   

     if(meta is Meta) 
        parse it to your Meta object 
        else
        parse it to list

answered Sep 24 '22 at 10:42

Ankit

335
1
10

retrofit would have crash before you parse so this won't fly – Muraino Sep 24 '22 at 14:05
if you override setter and then put this check? will it fly? – Ankit Sep 24 '22 at 14:08

Android- Json object come as object or array

2 Answers2