Python's simplejson does not parse a simple json string

Question

I try parsing a very simple json string I get from the net: {"price" : '10.25'} As you can see, the number (10.25) is between single quotes and it seems to be a problem for simple json:

Reproduction:

import simplejson as json
json_str = """ {"price" : '10.25'} """
json.loads(json_str)

Result:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.5/simplejson/__init__.py", line 307, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.5/simplejson/decoder.py", line 335, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.5/simplejson/decoder.py", line 353, in raw_decode
    raise ValueError("No JSON object could be decoded")
ValueError: No JSON object could be decoded

However, if I change the single quotes to double ones - it works.\ Unfortunately, the jsons I get are not as simple as in the example above, so I can't just replace all single quotes with string replace command.

Anybody knows what is the right way to parse this json?

P.S. I use python 2.5.

Thanks a lot!

you mix " and '. json specs indicate " only is to be used. ' is indeed invalid. see www.json.org (!) — njzk2
– njzk2, Commented Feb 5, 2013 at 9:51
I wonder how/why the OP is getting invalid JSON in the first place. It makes it sound like they're not under the OP's control. Is it the OP's responsibility to handle incorrect JSON? it sounds like they've been given it. — sotapme
– sotapme, Commented Feb 5, 2013 at 10:00

DhruvPathak · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 09:58:19Z

3

{"price" : "10.25"} , JSON contains double quotes only.

The JSON with single quotes is invalid ( see : www.jsonlint.com ) :

Parse error on line 2:
{    "price": '10.25'}
--------------^
Expecting 'STRING', 'NUMBER', 'NULL', 'TRUE', 'FALSE', '{', '['

You can correct your json using regex replace, or use ast.literal eval to load it as python object ( or dump it as json and load it again )

>>> a = """ {"price" : '10.25'} """
>>> import ast
>>> new_dict = ast.literal_eval(a.strip())
>>> import json
>>> json.dumps(new_dict)
'{"price": "10.25"}'

edited Feb 5, 2013 at 9:58

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 9:52

DhruvPathak

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3 Comments

DhruvPathak Over a year ago

@acron, sorry, my bad. Corrected that.

diemacht Over a year ago

@DhruvPathak: Seems to work on python 2.7, however, in my production I have python 2.5 with no ast package... :(

DhruvPathak Over a year ago

@diemacht I guess there is _ast module in Python 2.5, not sure if it works the same.

Antony Woods · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 09:52:44Z

0

Single quotes are not valid JSON so simplejson is doing exactly what it should be. The problem is the JSON you're receiving, unfortunately. I can't see a situation where a little regex-fu can't help you find and replace the single quotes you need to.

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 9:52

Antony Woods

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Comments

Jendas · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 09:54:00Z

0

The value should not be quoted if only numeric or should double quoted. So the correct way to do it is:

import simplejson as json
json_str = """ {"price" : 10.25} """
json.loads(json_str)

And to replace it you can parse the json string with some regluar expression using e.g. finditer

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 9:54

Jendas

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1 Comment

Rafał Łużyński Over a year ago

Value doesn't have to be numeric.

Rafał Łużyński · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-05 09:58:54Z

0

Check what is a valid JSON format at json.org.

As you can see there, only double quotation is valid for a string (key of dictionary).

answered Feb 5, 2013 at 9:58

Rafał Łużyński

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