Method

# GenerateJSON

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GenerateJSON

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JSO

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## Description

Generates JSON text from the supplied value, which is typically a Dictionary, an array of Dictionaries or an array of primitive data types (Integer, Text, etc.).

## Usage

``` xojo
result = GenerateJSON(value, expanded)
```

| Part     | Type                               | Description                                                                                                                                                           |
|----------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| result   | `String</api/data_types/string>`   | JSON text.                                                                                                                                                            |
| value    | `Variant</api/data_types/variant>` | The original value to be converted into JSON text.                                                                                                                    |
| expanded | `Boolean</api/data_types/boolean>` | Optional: If `True</api/language/true>`, the JSON returned includes white space that makes it more human-readable. The default value is `False</api/language/false>`. |

or

``` xojo
result = GenerateJSON(value, options)
```

| Part    | Type                                      | Description                                           |
|---------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| result  | `String</api/data_types/string>`          | JSON text.                                            |
| value   | `Variant</api/data_types/variant>`        | The original value to be converted into JSON text.    |
| options | `JSONOptions</api/text/json/jsonoptions>` | Formatting options for the string output of the JSON. |

## Notes

The Dictionary must consist of valid JSON. Here are some rules to follow:

- Keys must be strings.
- Values must be a valid JSON data type (String, Integer, Double, Dictionary Object, Array, Boolean or Nil). Currency is not a valid type that can be converted to JSON.
- No generic Xojo objects.

Learn more about [JSON syntax](https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_json_syntax.asp).

The order of data in a Dictionary is not guaranteed to match the order in the generated JSON. Order is retained for arrays. You can actually supply a single value that is not a Dictionary or an array and get it back as a single valid JSON object (it will encode quotes in text, for example), but those are not valid JSON by themselves.

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If one of the types in value cannot be converted to a JSON data type, an `InvalidArgumentException</api/exceptions/invalidargumentexception>` will be raised.

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## Sample code

Convert a simple array of Text to JSON data:

``` xojo
Var values() As String = Array("Red Sox", "Yankees", "Orioles", "Blue Jays", "Rays")
Var json As String = GenerateJSON(values)
' ["Red Sox","Yankees","Orioles","Blue Jays","Rays"]
```

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Convert a Dictionary of values to JSON data:

``` xojo
Var d As New Dictionary
d.Value("Team") = "Red Sox"
d.Value("City") = "Boston"

Var json As String
json = GenerateJSON(d, True) ' With expanded format
' {
'    "Team": "Red Sox",
'    "City": "Boston"
' }
```

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If you want to store an array of information, create an array of Dictionaries and use that to generate the JSON:

``` xojo
Var dictArray() As Dictionary
Var d As Dictionary

d = New Dictionary
d.Value("Team") = "Red Sox"
d.Value("City") = "Boston"
dictArray.Add(d)

d = New Dictionary
d.Value("Team") = "Yankees"
d.Value("City") = "New York"
dictArray.Add(d)

Var json As String
json = GenerateJSON(dictArray)
' [{"City":"Boston","Team":"Red Sox"},{"City":"New York","Team":"Yankees"}]
```

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In this example, the JSON string is formatted according to the set options:

``` xojo
Var d As New Dictionary
d.Value("Team") = "Red Sox"
d.Value("City") = "Boston"

Var options As New JSONOptions
options.Compact = False
options.IndentSpacing = 5

Var json As String
json = GenerateJSON(d, options)

' {
'      "City":"Boston",
'      "Team":"Red Sox"
' }
```

## Compatibility

|                       |     |
|-----------------------|-----|
| **Project Types**     | All |
| **Operating Systems** | All |

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`ParseJSON</api/text/json/parsejson>` method; `JSONItem</api/text/json/jsonitem>`, `JSONOptions</api/text/json/jsonoptions>` class

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