nanod10 / jsonfox

JSONFox is a free JSON parser written in Visual FoxPro 9.0

JSONFox

JSONFox is a free JSON / XML parser for Visual FoxPro 9.0

Project Manager

Irwin Rodríguez (Toledo, Spain)

New DLL JSONFoxHelper.dll

If you want to speed up the lexing process then you should use the JSONFoxHelper dll built in C# that scans the tokens faster. In order to use this scanner instead of the native one you just need to activate the NetScanner property like the example below:

// activate the property before using any routine from json class.
_Screen.Json.netScanner = .T.
_Screen.Json.Parse(myJSONString)

How fast is the scanning process against the native way?

I did a timing parsing a json file which size was 8mb. The native scanner lasts more than 15 minutes and the new scanner just 93 seconds. Pretty amazing isn't it?

NOTE

Remember register the JSONFoxHelper.dll before using it. Check this article if you got stuck: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7092553/turn-a-simple-c-sharp-dll-into-a-com-interop-component

Latest Release

[JSONFox] - 7.0 - Release 2021-07-01 20:38:15

[JSONFox] - 6.7 - Release 2021-04-15 00:16:33

[JSONFox] - 6.6 - Release 2021-04-15 11:25:17

[JSONFox] - 6.5 - Release 2021-03-25 09:13:14

[JSONFox] - 6.0 - Release 2021-02-23 22:28:00

[JSONFox] - 5.3 - Release 2021-02-23 17:26:58

[JSONFox] - 5.2 - Release 2021-02-23 08:22:21

[JSONFox] - 5.1 - Release 2021-02-18 20:25:18

[JSONFox] - 4.5 - Release 2021-01-28 21:35:58

[JSONFox] - 4.4 - Release 2021-01-19 08:00:12

[JSONFox] - 4.3 - Release 2021-01-12 16:52:07

[JSONFox] - 4.2 - Release 2021-01-10 20:03:18

[JSONFox] - 4.1 - Release 2020-12-26 23:32:01

[JSONFox] - 4.0 - Release 2020-12-26 11:47:18

[JSONFox] - 3.1 - Release 2020-10-19 08:45:10

[JSONFox] - 3.0 - Release 2020-10-14 17:26:07

[JSONFox] - 2.8 - Release 2020-10-10 18:17:34

[JSONFox] - 2.7 - Release 2020-09-29 14:05:46

[JSONFox] - 2.6 - Release 2020-09-26 18:34:42

[JSONFox] - 2.5 - Release 2020-09-15 11:01:14

[JSONFox] - 2.4 - Release 2020-09-11 13:29:08

[JSONFox] - 2.3 - Release 2020-08-09 20:14:01

[JSONFox] - 2.2 - Release 2020-08-07 23:29:18

[JSONFox] - 2.1 - Release 2020-08-05 23:12:07

[JSONFox] - 2.0 - Release 2020-07-28 19:50:42

---

Features

JSONFox now can parse any valid JSON string by calling the Parse method which retrieve an Visual Foxpro equivalent data type. (new)

JSONFox has a new built-in function called CursorStructure which retrieve the JSON representation of the alias given.

JSONFox has a new built-in function called JSONViewer which open a JSON viewer form.

JSONFox has a new built-in function called Stringify for object serialization and indentation.

JSONFox has a new built-in function called JSONToCursor.

JSONFox has a JSON Empty Class called JSON in which you can extends all those classes you need to convert into JSON representation.

JSONFox supports XML serialization by passing a JSON Array string representation as parameter. This is useful for CURSORS serialization between layers.

JSONFox Parser recognize DATE and DATETIME types.

JSONFox supports Cursor Serialization using the CursorToJSON() built-in function.

Basic Usage

* Now you can use JSONFox as a compiled App...
 Do LocFile("JSONFox", "app")

* Parse a string into an object.
 MyObj = _Screen.Json.Parse('{"foo": "bar"}')
 ?MyObj.foo

**New** you may also parse any valid JSON string.
 ?_Screen.Json.Parse('"bar"') && bar
 ?_Screen.Json.Parse('true')  && .T.
 ?_Screen.Json.Parse('false') && .F.
 ?_Screen.Json.Parse('null')  && .NULL.
 ?_Screen.Json.Parse('1985')  && 1985
 
* Convert Cursor into JSON string.
Create Cursor cGames (game c(25), launched i(4))
Insert into cGames Values('Pac-Man', 1980)
Insert into cGames Values('Super Mario Bros', 1985)
Insert into cGames Values('Space Invaders', 1978)
Insert into cGames Values('The Legend of Zelda', 1986)

?_Screen.Json.CursorToJson('cGames')

* Convert any cursor structure into JSON
?_Screen.Json.CursorStructure('cGames')

Full Documentation

• _Screen.Json.CursorToJSON(tcCursor As String [, tbCurrentRow As Boolean [, tnDataSession As Integer]])
• tcCursor: the name of your cursor.
• tbCurrentRow: ¿Would you like to serialize the current row? .F. as default.
• tnDataSession: Provide this parameter if you're working in a private session.

---

Properties

• LastErrorText: Stores the possible error generated in the current sentence.

Methods

---

(New Methods)

• _Screen.Json.Parse(tcJsonStr AS MEMO): Parse the string text as JSON (Visual Foxpro Empty class object representation)

  • tcJsonStr: represents a valid JSON string format.

• _Screen.Json.Encode(vNewProp as variant): Encode a JSON object into string.

  • vNewProp: represents any value type.

• _Screen.Json.Decode(tcJsonStr AS MEMO): Decode a valid JSON format string.

  • tcJsonStr: represents a valid JSON string format.

• _Screen.Json.LoadFile(tcJsonFile AS STRING): Loads and decodes any file extension with a valid JSON format string inside.

  • tcJsonFile: represents any file extension with a valid JSON string format.

• _Screen.Json.ArrayToXML(tStrArray AS MEMO): Serialize a JSON string to a XML representation.

  • tStrArray: represents a valid JSON Array string format.

• _Screen.Json.XMLToJson(tcXML AS MEMO): Serialize a XML string to a JSON representation.

  • tcXML: represents a valid XML string format.

• _Screen.Json.JsonToCursor(cJsonStr, cCursorName [, nDataSessionID]): Convert JSON array into cursor.

  • cJsonStr: Array JSON string format.
  • cCursorName: your generated cursor name.
  • nDataSessionID: if you are using private sessions please provide it here. Otherwise default session will be assumed.

• _Screen.Json.CursorStructure(cCursorName [, nDataSessionID] [, tbCopyExtended]): Dump the json structure of the given cursor or alias.

  • cCursorName: your cursor name.
  • nDataSessionID: if you are using private sessions please provide it here. Otherwise default session will be assumed.
  • tbCopyExtended: generates the extended version of the cursor structure.

• _Screen.Json.Stringify(tvNewVal [, cFlags]): Return an indented JSON string corresponding to the specified value.

  • tvNewVal: either an object or a raw JSONString.
  • cFlags: like AMEMBERS() functions flags. You may also pass any combinations of them.

  Parameter	Description
  P	Protected
  H	Hidden
  G	Public
  N	Native
  U	User Defined
  C	Changed
  I	Inherited
  B	Base
  R	Read Only

• _Screen.Json.JsonViewer(cJsonStr [, bStopExecution]): Open your JSON inside an Editor.

  • cJsonStr: JSON string format.
  • bStopExecution: waits until editor windows ends.

Examples

 * Sample 1: Serialize JSON String
 Do LocFile("JSONFox", "app")
 * Parse from string
 Text To lcJsonStr NoShow
   {
    "name":"Irwin",
    "surname": "Rodriguez",
    "birth":"1985-11-15",
    "current_year": 2019,
    "wife": "Serelys Fonseca",
    "music_band":"The Beatles",
    "size": 1.79,
    "isgamer": false,
    "isprogrammer": true, 
    "hascar": null
   }
 EndText
 obj = _Screen.Json.Parse(lcJsonStr)
 
 * Don't forget check the LastErrorText
 If _Screen.Json.lError
   MessageBox(_Screen.Json.LastErrorText, 48, "Something went wrong")
   Return
 EndIf
 
 ?obj.name
 ?obj.size
 
 * Deserialize and Indent
 cJSONStr = _Screen.Json.Stringify(obj)
 ?cJSONStr
 
 * Sample 2: JSONArray to Cursor
 Text To lcStr NoShow
	 {
	  "status": "success",
	  "data": [
	    {
	      "id": 2,
	      "email": "[email protected]",
	      "name": "Irwin1985",
	      "lastName": "Rodriguez",
	      "sex": "1",
	      "salary": 2278.45,
	      "profesion_id": 1,
	      "birthDate": "1985-11-15",
	      "createdAt": "2019-03-31",
	      "single": true
	    }
	  ],
	  "code": 200,
	  "message": "success"
	}
ENDTEXT

obj = _Screen.Json.Parse(lcStr)
* Encode just the Array attribute called (data)*
lcJsonArray = _Screen.Json.Encode(obj.data)

* Surround the lcJSONArray with array character delimiters '[' ']'.
lcJsonArray = "[" + lcJsonArray + "]"

* Convert the JSONArray into VFP CURSOR **(this is cool)**
_Screen.Json.JSONToCursor(lcJsonArray, "qEmployees")

* Modify some fields
Select qEmployees
Replace salary With 5.000 In qEmployees

* Now serialize the cursor to JSON
cJson = _Screen.json.CursorToJson("qEmployees")
?cJson

* Sample 3: Stringify Example
cJson = '{"age":45,"birthdate":"1985-11-15","created":"2020-07-28 09:29:41 PM","fullname":"Jhon Doe","gender":"Male","married":true,"soports":["running","swiming","basket-ball"]}'
?_Screen.Json.Stringify(cJson)

CursorStructure() function

Use Home(2) + "NorthWind\Customers.dbf"
?_Screen.Json.CursorStructure('Customers', Set("Datasession"), .T.)
// Function Signature
// CursorStructure(tcAlias, tnDataSessionID, tlCopyExtended)
// 1. tcAlias is the alias given.
// 2. tnDataSessionID is the current Datasession where Alias() lives (for private data sessions).
// 3. tlCopyExtended if .F. then copy FIELD_NAME, FIELD_TYPE, FIELD_LENGTH and FIELD_DECIMAL_PLACES. 
//    if is .T. then parse all the alias data structure.

JSONViewer() function

 Text To lcStr NoShow
  {
    "array": [
      1,
      2,
      3
    ],
    "boolean": false,
    "color": "gold",
    "null": null,
    "number": 123,
    "object": null,
    "string": "Hello World"
  }
ENDTEXT
_Screen.Json.JSONViewer(lcStr)

Release History

---

2021-04-15

• Bug fixed: tokenize negative numbers.
• Bug fixed: Stringify() receive a new parameter called tlParseutf8 to convert special characters.

2021-03-25

• Bug fixed: empty array and empty object.

2021-02-23

• Advance: lexical and parsing optimizations.

2021-02-23

• Advance: dd-mm-YYYY and dd/mm/YYYY date parsing.

2021-02-23

• Bug fixed: Slash scape avoided in Stringify() method.

2021-02-18

• Bug fixed: Date & DateTime format parsing.

2021-01-28

• Bug fixed: Character data type fixed when creating cursor.

2021-01-12

• Parsing Collections based objects including nested ones.

2021-01-10

• Method CursorToArray now support nullable columns from tables or cursor.

2020-12-26

• Several changes was made into the core library.

2020-10-19

• CursorStructure() function.

2020-10-14

• Core changes (including JSONFox.h instead of token objects for better performance).

2020-07-30

• JsonToCursor() function.

• Negative Numbers recognition.

• Empty array parsing.

2020-07-31

• Datetime parsing supported formats:

  • JavaScript built-in JSON object

  • ISO 8601

  • Visual Foxpro

2020-08-02

• Empty object parsing.

• GetPosition() and SetPosition() functions added into StreamReader class.

2020-08-05

• Stringify() function: parsing empty array and empty object.

• JSONToRTF() function: JSON string format to RTF representation.

• JSONViewer() function: open a JSON form viewer.

2020-08-07

• Encode() function: now accept 2 parameters (toObjRef As Object [, tcFlags]) Where tcFlags could be a combination of these values:

Parameter	Description
P	Protected
H	Hidden
G	Public
N	Native
U	User Defined
C	Changed
I	Inherited
B	Base
R	Read Only

2020-08-09

• LL(k) implemented using the FoxQueue class.

2020-09-11

• JSONToCursor() function: now accept another parameter called tlJustArray. You must pass it as .T. if you want just the Array representation of your cursor.*

• Stringify() function: now can receive either strings objects or array representation.*

License

JSONFox is released under the MIT Licence.