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Revision 1.28 by root, Mon Sep 29 03:09:27 2008 UTC vs.
Revision 1.33 by root, Tue Jan 19 00:31:13 2010 UTC

20 $perl_scalar = $coder->decode ($unicode_json_text); 20 $perl_scalar = $coder->decode ($unicode_json_text);
21 21
22 # Note that JSON version 2.0 and above will automatically use JSON::XS 22 # Note that JSON version 2.0 and above will automatically use JSON::XS
23 # if available, at virtually no speed overhead either, so you should 23 # if available, at virtually no speed overhead either, so you should
24 # be able to just: 24 # be able to just:
25 25
26 use JSON; 26 use JSON;
27 27
28 # and do the same things, except that you have a pure-perl fallback now. 28 # and do the same things, except that you have a pure-perl fallback now.
29 29
30DESCRIPTION 30DESCRIPTION
31 This module converts Perl data structures to JSON and vice versa. Its 31 This module converts Perl data structures to JSON and vice versa. Its
377 it is disabled, the same hash might be encoded differently even if 377 it is disabled, the same hash might be encoded differently even if
378 contains the same data, as key-value pairs have no inherent ordering 378 contains the same data, as key-value pairs have no inherent ordering
379 in Perl. 379 in Perl.
380 380
381 This setting has no effect when decoding JSON texts. 381 This setting has no effect when decoding JSON texts.
382
383 This setting has currently no effect on tied hashes.
382 384
383 $json = $json->allow_nonref ([$enable]) 385 $json = $json->allow_nonref ([$enable])
384 $enabled = $json->get_allow_nonref 386 $enabled = $json->get_allow_nonref
385 If $enable is true (or missing), then the "encode" method can 387 If $enable is true (or missing), then the "encode" method can
386 convert a non-reference into its corresponding string, number or 388 convert a non-reference into its corresponding string, number or
684 after a JSON object or b) parsing multiple JSON objects separated by 686 after a JSON object or b) parsing multiple JSON objects separated by
685 non-JSON text (such as commas). 687 non-JSON text (such as commas).
686 688
687 $json->incr_skip 689 $json->incr_skip
688 This will reset the state of the incremental parser and will remove 690 This will reset the state of the incremental parser and will remove
689 the parsed text from the input buffer. This is useful after 691 the parsed text from the input buffer so far. This is useful after
690 "incr_parse" died, in which case the input buffer and incremental 692 "incr_parse" died, in which case the input buffer and incremental
691 parser state is left unchanged, to skip the text parsed so far and 693 parser state is left unchanged, to skip the text parsed so far and
692 to reset the parse state. 694 to reset the parse state.
693 695
696 The difference to "incr_reset" is that only text until the parse
697 error occured is removed.
698
694 $json->incr_reset 699 $json->incr_reset
695 This completely resets the incremental parser, that is, after this 700 This completely resets the incremental parser, that is, after this
696 call, it will be as if the parser had never parsed anything. 701 call, it will be as if the parser had never parsed anything.
697 702
698 This is useful if you want ot repeatedly parse JSON objects and want 703 This is useful if you want to repeatedly parse JSON objects and want
699 to ignore any trailing data, which means you have to reset the 704 to ignore any trailing data, which means you have to reset the
700 parser after each successful decode. 705 parser after each successful decode.
701 706
702 LIMITATIONS 707 LIMITATIONS
703 All options that affect decoding are supported, except "allow_nonref". 708 All options that affect decoding are supported, except "allow_nonref".
1069 structure back. This is useful when your channel for JSON transfer 1074 structure back. This is useful when your channel for JSON transfer
1070 is not 8-bit clean or the encoding might be mangled in between (e.g. 1075 is not 8-bit clean or the encoding might be mangled in between (e.g.
1071 in mail), and works because ASCII is a proper subset of most 8-bit 1076 in mail), and works because ASCII is a proper subset of most 8-bit
1072 and multibyte encodings in use in the world. 1077 and multibyte encodings in use in the world.
1073 1078
1079 JSON and ECMAscript
1080 JSON syntax is based on how literals are represented in javascript (the
1081 not-standardised predecessor of ECMAscript) which is presumably why it
1082 is called "JavaScript Object Notation".
1083
1084 However, JSON is not a subset (and also not a superset of course) of
1085 ECMAscript (the standard) or javascript (whatever browsers actually
1086 implement).
1087
1088 If you want to use javascript's "eval" function to "parse" JSON, you
1089 might run into parse errors for valid JSON texts, or the resulting data
1090 structure might not be queryable:
1091
1092 One of the problems is that U+2028 and U+2029 are valid characters
1093 inside JSON strings, but are not allowed in ECMAscript string literals,
1094 so the following Perl fragment will not output something that can be
1095 guaranteed to be parsable by javascript's "eval":
1096
1097 use JSON::XS;
1098
1099 print encode_json [chr 0x2028];
1100
1101 The right fix for this is to use a proper JSON parser in your javascript
1102 programs, and not rely on "eval" (see for example Douglas Crockford's
1103 json2.js parser).
1104
1105 If this is not an option, you can, as a stop-gap measure, simply encode
1106 to ASCII-only JSON:
1107
1108 use JSON::XS;
1109
1110 print JSON::XS->new->ascii->encode ([chr 0x2028]);
1111
1112 Note that this will enlarge the resulting JSON text quite a bit if you
1113 have many non-ASCII characters. You might be tempted to run some regexes
1114 to only escape U+2028 and U+2029, e.g.:
1115
1116 # DO NOT USE THIS!
1117 my $json = JSON::XS->new->utf8->encode ([chr 0x2028]);
1118 $json =~ s/\xe2\x80\xa8/\\u2028/g; # escape U+2028
1119 $json =~ s/\xe2\x80\xa9/\\u2029/g; # escape U+2029
1120 print $json;
1121
1122 Note that *this is a bad idea*: the above only works for U+2028 and
1123 U+2029 and thus only for fully ECMAscript-compliant parsers. Many
1124 existing javascript implementations, however, have issues with other
1125 characters as well - using "eval" naively simply *will* cause problems.
1126
1127 Another problem is that some javascript implementations reserve some
1128 property names for their own purposes (which probably makes them
1129 non-ECMAscript-compliant). For example, Iceweasel reserves the
1130 "__proto__" property name for it's own purposes.
1131
1132 If that is a problem, you could parse try to filter the resulting JSON
1133 output for these property strings, e.g.:
1134
1135 $json =~ s/"__proto__"\s*:/"__proto__renamed":/g;
1136
1137 This works because "__proto__" is not valid outside of strings, so every
1138 occurence of ""__proto__"\s*:" must be a string used as property name.
1139
1140 If you know of other incompatibilities, please let me know.
1141
1074 JSON and YAML 1142 JSON and YAML
1075 You often hear that JSON is a subset of YAML. This is, however, a mass 1143 You often hear that JSON is a subset of YAML. This is, however, a mass
1076 hysteria(*) and very far from the truth (as of the time of this 1144 hysteria(*) and very far from the truth (as of the time of this
1077 writing), so let me state it clearly: *in general, there is no way to 1145 writing), so let me state it clearly: *in general, there is no way to
1078 configure JSON::XS to output a data structure as valid YAML* that works 1146 configure JSON::XS to output a data structure as valid YAML* that works
1085 my $yaml = $to_yaml->encode ($ref) . "\n"; 1153 my $yaml = $to_yaml->encode ($ref) . "\n";
1086 1154
1087 This will *usually* generate JSON texts that also parse as valid YAML. 1155 This will *usually* generate JSON texts that also parse as valid YAML.
1088 Please note that YAML has hardcoded limits on (simple) object key 1156 Please note that YAML has hardcoded limits on (simple) object key
1089 lengths that JSON doesn't have and also has different and incompatible 1157 lengths that JSON doesn't have and also has different and incompatible
1090 unicode handling, so you should make sure that your hash keys are 1158 unicode character escape syntax, so you should make sure that your hash
1091 noticeably shorter than the 1024 "stream characters" YAML allows and 1159 keys are noticeably shorter than the 1024 "stream characters" YAML
1092 that you do not have characters with codepoint values outside the 1160 allows and that you do not have characters with codepoint values outside
1093 Unicode BMP (basic multilingual page). YAML also does not allow "\/" 1161 the Unicode BMP (basic multilingual page). YAML also does not allow "\/"
1094 sequences in strings (which JSON::XS does not *currently* generate, but 1162 sequences in strings (which JSON::XS does not *currently* generate, but
1095 other JSON generators might). 1163 other JSON generators might).
1096 1164
1097 There might be other incompatibilities that I am not aware of (or the 1165 There might be other incompatibilities that I am not aware of (or the
1098 YAML specification has been changed yet again - it does so quite often). 1166 YAML specification has been changed yet again - it does so quite often).
1114 of its proponents, I would kindly suggest reading the JSON spec 1182 of its proponents, I would kindly suggest reading the JSON spec
1115 (which is not that difficult or long) and finally make YAML 1183 (which is not that difficult or long) and finally make YAML
1116 compatible to it, and educating users about the changes, instead of 1184 compatible to it, and educating users about the changes, instead of
1117 spreading lies about the real compatibility for many *years* and 1185 spreading lies about the real compatibility for many *years* and
1118 trying to silence people who point out that it isn't true. 1186 trying to silence people who point out that it isn't true.
1187
1188 Addendum/2009: the YAML 1.2 spec is still incomaptible with JSON,
1189 even though the incompatibilities have been documented (and are
1190 known to Brian) for many years and the spec makes explicit claims
1191 that YAML is a superset of JSON. It would be so easy to fix, but
1192 apparently, bullying and corrupting userdata is so much easier.
1119 1193
1120 SPEED 1194 SPEED
1121 It seems that JSON::XS is surprisingly fast, as shown in the following 1195 It seems that JSON::XS is surprisingly fast, as shown in the following
1122 tables. They have been generated with the help of the "eg/bench" program 1196 tables. They have been generated with the help of the "eg/bench" program
1123 in the JSON::XS distribution, to make it easy to compare on your own 1197 in the JSON::XS distribution, to make it easy to compare on your own
1214 information you might want to make sure that exceptions thrown by 1288 information you might want to make sure that exceptions thrown by
1215 JSON::XS will not end up in front of untrusted eyes. 1289 JSON::XS will not end up in front of untrusted eyes.
1216 1290
1217 If you are using JSON::XS to return packets to consumption by JavaScript 1291 If you are using JSON::XS to return packets to consumption by JavaScript
1218 scripts in a browser you should have a look at 1292 scripts in a browser you should have a look at
1219 <http://jpsykes.com/47/practical-csrf-and-json-security> to see whether 1293 <http://blog.archive.jpsykes.com/47/practical-csrf-and-json-security/>
1220 you are vulnerable to some common attack vectors (which really are 1294 to see whether you are vulnerable to some common attack vectors (which
1221 browser design bugs, but it is still you who will have to deal with it, 1295 really are browser design bugs, but it is still you who will have to
1222 as major browser developers care only for features, not about getting 1296 deal with it, as major browser developers care only for features, not
1223 security right). 1297 about getting security right).
1224 1298
1225THREADS 1299THREADS
1226 This module is *not* guaranteed to be thread safe and there are no plans 1300 This module is *not* guaranteed to be thread safe and there are no plans
1227 to change this until Perl gets thread support (as opposed to the 1301 to change this until Perl gets thread support (as opposed to the
1228 horribly slow so-called "threads" which are simply slow and bloated 1302 horribly slow so-called "threads" which are simply slow and bloated

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