Import values from JSON or similar into PDF

[anfuca]

Hi, last days I'm diving into this awesome world of scripting.
I'm trying to guess the way to import, parse and play with a JSON file into Acrobat using Javascript.

I'm able to get the content using util.readFileIntoStream, but now, I don't know what to do with it... JSON.parse doesn't seem to work.

Thanks in advance!

[lrosenth]

JSON.parse is a new feature of JavaScript that may not be supported in yoru version of Acrobat. What version are you working with?

[anfuca]

Hi lrosenth​
thanks for answering. I'm working with the 15.020 version. What is the best choice instead?

[Test Screen Name]

What's the full version number, with 5 more digits? This is more important than you might think as it tells us whether you have the updated subscription version or the old frozen permanent version.

[anfuca]

Oh I see... The full version number is 15.020.20042

[Test Screen Name]

Hmm, that is pretty much the latest subscription version (close to it, not fully up to date). So I think you have the latest API. I found contradictory info, but it may be that JSON (not core ECMAScript) was not added. This page discusses an alternative: https://answers.acrobatusers.com/JSON-Object-AcrobatX-q3969.aspx

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

If all you want to do is to parse a JSON string and convert it to a JavaScript data structure, you can do this in a way that will work with all versions of Acrobat - and there is no need to install a JSON library. The trick is to use 'eval()' - but as you will quickly find out, you cannot just pass the JSON string to it, there is a little bit more involved: You need to wrap the code in parenthesis:

var json = '{"field1":"abc","field2":"def","record1":{"field3":"xyz","field4":"uvw"},"array1":[1,2,3,4]}';
var myData = eval( "(" + json + ")");  // this is where the magic happens
console.println(myData.field1);

So, all you need to do is to add a "(" at the beginning of your string and a ")" at the end, end then use eval to convert to a JavaScript object.

[George_Buce]

OMG - after seeing so many other sample scripts that use

result = eval( "{" + content + "}" );

and having it fail miserably in InDesign, the suggestion to use parenthesis was the answer I was looking for - thanks!

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

JSON is JavaScript, so as Karl has shown, the JavaScript version is not important when it comes to parsing JavaScript code in string form.  Just use the standard, built-in, "eval" function.

But Karl has only show the last part of the script, the whole script is

var oStream = util.readFileIntoStream(...path...);

var strJSON = util.stringFromStream(oStream);

var oData = eval("(" + strJSON + ")"); 

Pretty simple, and you could put it all in one line

var oData = eval("(" + util.stringFromStream(util.readFileIntoStream(...path...)) + ")"); 

However, it is much easier to handle errors when each part is on it's own line.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Thom+Parker  wrote

However, it is much easier to handle errors when each part is on it's own line.

Not only that, it also makes your life a lot easier when you look at your code again six months or two years from now