Using isdefined when json variable contains a #

[ghanna1]

Hello,

I need help understanding how to check if a variable is defined when the json variable contains a # in its name as shown in the image:

I tried using ## but it not correct:

<cfif Isdefined('results.track.album.image[2].##text') AND #results.track.album.image[2].##text# NEQ ''>

 Suggestions?

Thanks!
Gary

[Dave Watts]

I think you'll have to treat it like an associative array. This is how you deal with any structure members whose names don't correspond to CF variable naming rules.

results.track.album.image[2]['#text']

Dave Watts, Eidolon LLC

[ghanna1]

I tried your suggestion:

<cfif Isdefined("results.track.album.image[2]['#text']")>
do something
</cfif>

and still got:

• An expression that began on line 26, column 48.
  The expression might be missing an ending #, for example, #expr instead of #expr#.
• An expression beginning with /", on line 26, column 17.This message is usually caused by a problem in the expressions structure.
• An expression beginning with Isdefined, on line 26, column 7.This message is usually caused by a problem in the expressions structure.
• A cfif tag beginning on line 26, column 2.

[BKBK]

Please confirm whether or not you're satisfied with the answers.

[ghanna1]

Might not be the best way to do it but this worked to simply remove the # for the JSON results:

<cfset content = replace(#cfhttp.filecontent#, "##", "", "all") />
<cfset results = deserializeJSON(content) /> 

[BKBK]

ghanna1

There is no need to apply replace() beforehand. You got an error because isDefined() cannot be used in this case.

To use isDefined() the argument has to be a valid variable-name. However, results.track.album.image[2]['##text'] is not a valid variable-name. 

To test for existence in this case, the appropriate methods to use are, for example, isNull() or structKeyExists().

[BKBK · Accepted solution]

<cfif structKeyExists(results.track.album.image[2], "##text") AND results.track.album.image[2]["##text"] NEQ ''>
	
</cfif>

[BKBK]

<cfif not isNull(results.track.album.image[2]["##text"]) AND results.track.album.image[2]["##text"] NEQ ''>

</cfif>