JSON / XML / CSV Parser

This package creates a parser to extract data from JSON, XML and CSV strings using a simplified jsonpath notation.

After creating the Parser object, you can use the parse method to extract data from a string.

The parse() method can be called with the following parameters:

• mapping: an associative array (map) of columns to be extracted (as keys), together with the paths used for the extraction (as values)
• content: the string content to be parsed
• format: json / xml / csv - the format of the content
• return_type: dataset / individual_values - whether to response contains a homogenous dataset or just the values for each column in the mapping; defaults to dataset

---

JSON mapping

For the JSON format, the paths used in the mapping are just some simple JSONPath notation. Example:

mapping[items]="$.foo[*].bar"

where items is the name of the column to be extracted and $.foo[*].bar is the path used for the extraction. Both [] and [*] are valid expressions for extracting from an array.

---

XML mapping

For the XML format, the paths used in the mapping use also the JSONPath notation, with 2 additions:

• @: to prefix the sub-path for an attribute
• &text: to extract the value of a text node

Example:

mapping[items]="$.global_node.foo[*].@bar"
mapping[prices]="$.global_node.foo[*].&text"

@bar refers to the bar attribute of the node foo. &text refers to the text value of the node foo.

---

CSV mapping

For the CSV format, the paths used in the mapping have the following formats:

1. csv without header

mapping[items]="$[0]" // first column
mapping[prices]="$[1]" // second column
...
mapping[other]="$[n]" // nth column

2. csv with header

mapping[items]="$[items]" // column named "items"
mapping[prices]="$[prices]" // column named "prices"
...
mapping[other]="$[other]" // column named "other"

where items, prices etc. are the values of the header row.

---

Examples

1. JSON

$mapping = [
  "items" => "$.foo[*].bar",
  "prices" => "$.foo[*].price",
  "date" => "$.date",
];

$content = '{
  "foo": [
    {
      "bar": "item1",
      "price": 10
    },
    {
      "bar": "item2",
      "price": 20
    },
    {
      "bar": "item3",
      "price": 30
    }
  ],
  "date": "2020-01-01"
}';

$parser = (new ParserFactory())->create($mapping, $content, ContentFormat::JSON);
$resultDataset = $parser->parse();
$resultIndividualValues = $parser->parse(ReturnType::INDIVIDUAL_VALUES);

var_dump($resultDataset);
var_dump($resultIndividualValues);

array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    int(10)
    [1]=>
    int(20)
    [2]=>
    int(30)
  }
  ["date"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [1]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [2]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
  }
}

array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    int(10)
    [1]=>
    int(20)
    [2]=>
    int(30)
  }
  ["date"]=>
  string(10) "2020-01-01"
}

2. XML

$mappings = [
  "items" => "$.product.prices.foo[*].@bar",
  "prices" => "$.product.prices.foo[*].&text",
  "date" => "$.product.date.&text",
];

$content = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<product>
  <prices>
    <foo bar="item1">10</foo>
    <foo bar="item2">20</foo>
    <foo bar="item3">30</foo>
  </prices>
  <date>2020-01-01</date>
</product>';

$parser = (new ParserFactory())->create($mappings, $content, ContentFormat::XML);
$resultDataset = $parser->parse();
$resultIndividualValues = $parser->parse(ReturnType::INDIVIDUAL_VALUES);

var_dump($resultDataset);
var_dump($resultIndividualValues);

array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(2) "10"
    [1]=>
    string(2) "20"
    [2]=>
    string(2) "30"
  }
  ["date"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [1]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [2]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
  }
}


array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(2) "10"
    [1]=>
    string(2) "20"
    [2]=>
    string(2) "30"
  }
  ["date"]=>
  string(10) "2020-01-01"
}

3. CSV without header

$mappings = [
  "items" => "$[0]",
  "prices" => "$[1]",
  "date" => "$[2]",
];

$content = 'item1,10,2020-01-01
item2,20,2020-01-01
item3,30,2020-01-01';

$parser = (new ParserFactory())->create($mappings, $content, ContentFormat::CSV);
$resultDataset = $parser->parse();

var_dump($resultDataset);

array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(2) "10"
    [1]=>
    string(2) "20"
    [2]=>
    string(2) "30"
  }
  ["date"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [1]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [2]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
  }
}

4. CSV with header

$mappings = [
  "items" => "$.item",
  "prices" => "$.price",
  "date" => "$.date",
];

$content = 'item,price,date
item1,10,2020-01-01
item2,20,2020-01-01
item3,30,2020-01-01';

$parser = (new ParserFactory())->create($mappings, $content, ContentFormat::CSV);
$resultDataset = $parser->parse();

var_dump($resultDataset);

array(3) {
  ["items"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(5) "item1"
    [1]=>
    string(5) "item2"
    [2]=>
    string(5) "item3"
  }
  ["prices"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(2) "10"
    [1]=>
    string(2) "20"
    [2]=>
    string(2) "30"
  }
  ["date"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [1]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
    [2]=>
    string(10) "2020-01-01"
  }
}