function readOnly(count){ }
Starting November 20, the site will be set to read-only. On December 4, 2023,
forum discussions will move to the Trailblazer Community.
+ Start a Discussion
MaverickDevMaverickDev 

System.JSONException: Malformed JSON: Expected '[' at the beginning of List/Set

Hi,

 

I've created below class and want to display records in Visual source page.

 

public class JSONTest {
    
    Public string strName{get;set;}
    Public string strPrint {get;set;}
    Public List<items> itemList {get;set;}

    String jsonStr = '{"feed":{"row_count":1,"items":[{"msg":"<a class="keyword" href=http://abc.html>XYZ</a>Clicked<a class="keyword" href=http://abc.html>http://abc.html</a>","interest":"Other","whendt":"3/26/2012 6:22:49 PM"}]}}';
    
    public void PrintJSONRecords(){
    itemList = (List<items>)JSON.deserialize(jsonStr ,List<items>.class);
   }    
    
    public void submit()
    {
        PrintJSONRecords();
    }
    
    class feed {
        public Integer row_count;
        public items[] itemss;
         
        public feed(Integer a) {
            this.row_count = a;
            this.itemss = new List<items>();
        }
    }
    
    public class items{
        public String msg;
        public String interest;
        public DateTime whendt;
         
        public items( String msg, String interest, DateTime whendt) {
            this.msg = msg;
            this.interest= interest;
            this.whendt = whendt;
        }
    }
}

 

When I execute program it gives me below error;

System.JSONException: Malformed JSON: Expected '[' at the beginning of List/Set

What I'm missing?

 

Thanks!!

TheIntegratorTheIntegrator

try

 

[{"feed":{"row_count":1,"items":[{"msg":"<a class='keyword' href=http://abc.html>XYZ</a>Clicked<a class='keyword' href=http://abc.html>http://abc.html</a>","interest":"Other","whendt":"3/26/2012 6:22:49 PM"}]}}]

ShamilShamil

The problem is that you're trying to deserialize a JSON object (not an array) into a list


A solution to your problem is:

 

public class JSONTest{
   
    Public string strName{get;set;}
    Public string strPrint {get;set;}
    Public List<items> itemList {get;set;}

    String jsonStr = '{"feed":{"row_count":1,"items":[{"msg":"<a class=\\"keyword\\" href=http://abc.html>XYZ</a>Clicked<a class=\\"keyword\\" href=http://abc.html>http://abc.html</a>","interest":"Other","whendt":"2012-02-15T18:03:32-08:00"}]}}';
    String jsonStr2 = '[{"msg":"<a class=\\"keyword\\" href=http://abc.html>XYZ</a>Clicked<a class=\\"keyword\\" href=http://abc.html>http://abc.html</a>","interest":"Other","whendt":"2012-02-15T18:03:32-08:00"}]';
    
    public void PrintJSONRecords(){
    itemList = (List<items>)JSON.deserialize(jsonStr2,List<items>.class);
    System.debug('itemList' + itemList);
    FeedWraper feedWrapper = (FeedWraper) JSON.deserialize(jsonStr, FeedWraper.class);
    System.debug('feedWrapper' + feedWrapper);
    
   }    
    
    public void submit()
    {
        PrintJSONRecords();
    }
    
    class FeedWraper{
    	public Feed feed;
    }
    
    class feed {
        public Integer row_count;
        public items[] items;
         
        public feed(Integer a) {
            this.row_count = a;
            this.items = new List<items>();
        }
    }
    
    public class items{
        public String msg;
        public String interest;
        public DateTime whendt;
         
        public items( String msg, String interest, DateTime whendt) {
            this.msg = msg;
            this.interest= interest;
            this.whendt = whendt;
        }
    }
}

Note that double quotes in JSON are double-escaped: \\". I believe it might be a bug in the System.JSON class.

Also, you need to format the date to make it serializable.

 

-Shamil

MaverickDevMaverickDev

Thanks guys!!

Shamil, 2nd String variable worked well.

I've a doubt, Unless and untill I do not get perticular JSON values in an Array or List, how should I format them (e.g. Date)?

Also, how do I bind them to VF pages?

Thanks again!!

ShamilShamil

Can you control the dateTime format for the JSON you're receiving? 

The format that JSON.deserialize() understands is ISO 8601: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601

In terms of VF binding - that's an unrelated problem, it all depends on how exactly you want to present these values on your VF page.

 

-Shamil

MaverickDevMaverickDev

Thanks Shamil !

I'm receiving datetime thru webservice and format is '3/26/2012 6:22:49 PM' (I can not  edit web service to change datetime format) , so how do I convert it in supported format?

Also, I've written code below;

public class JSONTest {

   List<items> feeds;

    String jsonStr2 = '[{"msg":"<a class="keyword" href=http://abc.html>XYZ</a>Clicked<a class="keyword" href=http://abc.html>http://abc.html</a>","interest":"Other","whendt":"2012-02-15T18:03:32-08:00"}]';
    
    public List<items> getFeeds() {
        return feeds;
    }
    
    public PageReference doSearch() {
        feeds = (List<items>)getData();
      
        return null;
    }
        
    public List<items> getData() {
        List<items> data = new List<items>();
       
        String JSONContent, strMessage, strInterest, strWhenDate;
       
        HttpRequest req = new HttpRequest();
        Http http = new Http();
        
        //set the Method
        req.setMethod('GET');

        // generate the url for the request
        String url = 'http://demowebservice.ashx';

        //add the endpoint to the request
        req.setEndpoint(url);

        // create the response object
        HttpResponse resp = http.Send(req);
        
        // the Feed service is returning a line feed so parse it out
        JSONContent = resp.getBody().replace('\n', '');
      
        JSONParser parser = JSON.createParser(JSONContent);
             while (parser.nextToken() != null) {
                if ((parser.getCurrentToken() == JSONToken.FIELD_NAME)) {
                      if(parser.getText() == 'msg'){
                         parser.nextToken();

                         strMessage = parser.getText();
                      }
                      else if(parser.getText() == 'interest'){
                        parser.nextToken();

                        strInterest = parser.getText();
                      }
                      if(parser.getText() == 'when'){

                          parser.nextToken();
                          strWhenDate = parser.getText();
                      }
                   //store message, interest and date in a list
                   data.add(new items(strMessage, strInterest ,strWhenDate));
                }
             }
        return data;
    }    
    
    class FeedWraper {
        public Integer row_count;
        public items[] items;
         
        public FeedWraper (Integer a) {
            this.row_count = a;
            this.items = new List<items>();
        }
    }
    
    public class items{
        public String msg { get; set; }
        public String interest { get; set; }
        public String whendt { get; set; }
         
        public items( String msg, String interest, String whendt) {
            this.msg = msg;
            this.interest= interest;
            this.whendt = whendt;
        }
    }
}

Values are getting displayed in table but showing multiple records instead of single records.

I'm doing something wrong in add items to list code. please, do let me know.

I'm displaying it in VF page using;

 <apex:pageBlockTable value="{!feeds}" var="l" rendered="{!NOT(ISNULL(feeds))}">

       <apex:column ><apex:outputLabel escape="false" value="{!l.msg}"></apex:outputLabel></apex:column>
       <apex:column value="{!l.interest}"/>
       <apex:column value="{!l.whendt}"/>
</apex:pageBlockTable>

 

Thanks again for follow up!!

John AlwanJohn Alwan
Hi,

I have a similar problem getting -
Exception :Malformed JSON: Expected '[' at the beginning of List/Set:null:System.JSONException

Appreciate any isnsights. Thx!

public class NormalizedAddresses {
      public Integer confidence;
      public Integer comprehension;
      public Integer nameCount;
      public String nameForm;
      public String accoutntType;
      public List<String> normalizedLines;
      public List<Names> names;
      public String context;
      public String houseNumber;
      public String streetName;
      public String city;
      public String state;
      public String postalCode;
        }
       
  public  class Names {
      public String rootFirstName;
      public String firstName;
      public String middleName;
      public String lastName;
      public String businessName;
      public String nameForm;
     }

JSONString = '{"normalizedAddresses":[{"confidence":0,"comprehension":0,"nameCount":2,"nameForm":"1","accoutntType":"NULL                                              NULL NULL NULL","normalizedLines":["ALLEN GORDON AND DEBBIE","NULL","NULL NULL NULL"],"names":[{"rootFirstName":"GORDON","firstName":"GORDON","middleName":"","lastName":"ALLEN","businessName":"","nameForm":"1"},{"rootFirstName":"DEBORAH","firstName":"DEBBIE","middleName":"","lastName":"ALLEN","businessName":"","nameForm":"1"}],"context":"a1mQ00000039BHlIAM","houseNumber":"","streetName":"","city":"","state":"","postalCode":""}]}';


List<NormalizedAddresses> deserializedString = (List<NormalizedAddresses>)JSON.deserialize(JSONString, List<NormalizedAddresses>.class);



John AlwanJohn Alwan
Just posting in case this helps anyone in the future... I figured out that last week that the deserializer did not like the first string "normalizedAddresses" for some reason.  Not sure exactly, but if i remove it from the JSONString i am able to deserialize fine. 
adityaMorganadityaMorgan
Thanks John. Removing will work.


following worked for me :

Http httpreq = new Http();
        HttpResponse res = httpreq.send(req);
        String reqresponse = res.getBody().replace('{"size":124,"totalSize":124,"done":true,"queryLocator":null,"entityTypeName":"ApexClass","records":','');
        apxCls = (List<ApexClass>)JSON.deserialize(reqresponse, List<ApexClass>.Class);
        return apxCls;