Zend_Json::encode trouble with Double Quotes

Question

I have a Zend Form that allows you to add a college class to the database. I collect the data and persist it with Doctrine 2. Everything is fine the data is in the table. When I retrieve the data everything is ready to use.

array
   0 => &
array
  'id' => int 151
  'className' => string 'Geocaching (Jee-oh-Cash-ing) is part of a worldwide outdoor  game for GPS users. Go on an adventure to find hidden treasure, called “geocaches”. If you own a GPS receiver or a smartphone, bring it (preferred, but not required) along with some fresh batteri' (length=255)
  'instructor' => string 'Geocaching (Jee-oh-Cash-ing) is part of a worldwide outdoor game for GPS users. Go on an adventure to find hidden treasure, called “geocaches”. If you own a GPS receiver or a smartphone, bring it (preferred, but not required) along with some fresh batteri' (length=255)
  'classDescription' => string 'Geocaching (Jee-oh-Cash-ing) is part of a worldwide outdoor game for GPS users. Go on an adventure to find hidden treasure, called “geocaches”. If you own a GPS receiver or a smartphone, bring it (preferred, but not required) along with some fresh batteri' (length=255)

Then I am using Jquery DataTables to display all the table data. I have a view helper that renders the jquery for the datatable. Inside the view helper I am using

Zend_Json::encode(array_merge($this->_defaultOptions, $options), false,   array('enableJsonExprFinder' => true));

All the values that have a double quote get encoded as null.

"aaData":{"id":151,"className":null,"instructor":null,"classDescription":null,}}'

Any other values will display in the DataTable except any value that has a double quote.

I must being doing something really wrong because I also have this trouble when I try to re-populate the Zend Form with the data to do an update.

$results = $this->_doctrine->getEntityManager()->getRepository('My\Entity')->findOneBy($request->getParam('id'));
$form->setDefaults($results[0]);

Again if I dump the results from Doctrine all the quoted data is there ready to be used. But after $form->setDefaults($results[0]) the fields in the form are blank.

Any help is really appreciated.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:21

I had the same problem. The solution is that the quotes were not the " but rather “ (the Microsoft encoded quotes) which was causing json_encode() to return null. Doing a replace with the method from this answer (How to replace Microsoft-encoded quotes in PHP) fixed it.

UPDATE:

Zend also has an encoder that parses the string for you. But you need to set Zend_Json::$userBuiltinEncoderDecoder = true in your bootstrap and it will then use it instead of php's json_encode

RockyFord · Answer 2 · 2012-02-15T06:06:00.630

I think you need to use the constant JSON_HEX_QUOT

this seems to work:

$options = array(JSON_HEX_QUOT);
$json = Zend_JSON($value, $cyclecheck, $options);

I got deeper into the Zend/Json.php code and it looks like if you'd like to use JSON_HEX_QUOT you're going to have to use the PHP function as Zend_Json doesn't pass the constant.

    // Encoding
    if (function_exists('json_encode') && self::$useBuiltinEncoderDecoder !== true) {
        $encodedResult = json_encode($valueToEncode);

I think this is because ZF is coded to the PHP 5.2.6 standard and $options was added to json_encode in PHP 5.3.0

here is the reference from the php manual:

Example #2 *A json_encode() example showing all the options in action*

<?php $a = array('<foo>',"'bar'",'"baz"','&blong&');

echo "Normal: ", json_encode($a), "\n"; echo "Tags: ",
json_encode($a,JSON_HEX_TAG), "\n"; echo "Apos: ",
json_encode($a,JSON_HEX_APOS), "\n"; echo "Quot: ",
json_encode($a,JSON_HEX_QUOT), "\n"; echo "Amp: ",
json_encode($a,JSON_HEX_AMP), "\n"; echo "All: ",
json_encode($a,JSON_HEX_TAG|JSON_HEX_APOS|JSON_HEX_QUOT|JSON_HEX_AMP), "\n\n";

$b = array();

echo "Empty array output as array: ", json_encode($b), "\n"; echo "Empty array output as object: ", json_encode($b, JSON_FORCE_OBJECT), "\n\n";

$c = array(array(1,2,3));

echo "Non-associative array output as array: ", json_encode($c), "\n"; echo "Non-associative array output as object: ", json_encode($c, JSON_FORCE_OBJECT), "\n\n";

$d = array('foo' => 'bar', 'baz' => 'long');

echo "Associative array always output as object: ", json_encode($d), "\n"; echo "Associative array always output as object: ", json_encode($d, JSON_FORCE_OBJECT), "\n\n";

I will try that in the view helper. I looked at Json.php but didnt see where that option was actually passed to json_encode. I am using enableJsonExprFinder in the view helper when I generate the table. Without using enableJsonExprFinder I dont know of an easier way to build the functions into json without doing it manually. — lumberjacked, Feb 15 '12 at 05:43
Ugh, this is exactly what I found too, but needed to make sure his calling code was correct. You should use PHP's version instead of Zend's version. If you do, it should escape the quotes by default. — Mike Purcell, Feb 15 '12 at 18:58

Zend_Json::encode trouble with Double Quotes

2 Answers2