GET json data via REST API and store value in session

[jds43 10]

Hello, I need to find a way to store a json value returned via REST API and use as a session variable, or something of the like.

The user is to input their zip code to provide the closest store location, which is an ID that is returned by a get request (this ID is associated with a page). So this closest store location would now be selected to provide unique information to the user.

[Robin S 6,283]

Have you looked at the $session documentation? If so is there a specific problem you're having?

[jds43 10]

Thanks @Robin S I've been trying to cobble resources together to make this work. Just not quite sure of how to convert the json data to a session variable yet.

[horst 5,023]

7 minutes ago, jds43 said:

Just not quite sure of how to convert the json data to a session variable yet.

There are the php functions json_encode and json_decode. 

You can use one to add it to the session, and the other to read it from the session. 

(Sorry, on mobile. Therefore no links or examples here. )

[jds43 10]

Here's what I have so far, but I'm getting inconsistent results.

        // Sanitize user input           
        $zipcode = (int) $input->get->zipcode;
        // Set url for API with sanitized zipcode                    
        $link = "https://webapi.test.com/WebAPI/api/v1/test/" . $zipcode;        

        function url_get_contents ($Url) {
            if (!function_exists('curl_init')){ 
                die('CURL is not installed!');
            }
            $ch = curl_init();
            curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('APIKey:************'));
            curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $Url);
            curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
            $output = curl_exec($ch);
            curl_close($ch);
            return $output;
        }
        
        $jsondata = url_get_contents($link);
        $location = json_decode($jsondata, true);
        
        // Set value of the Nearest Location ID (returned via API based on zipcode input) to session variable named "nearest"
        $session->nearest = $location['NearestLocationID'];
        $nearest = $session->nearest;
		// Let's match the zipcode entered by the user to nearest_location_id field to return the appropriate page
		$nearest_page = $pages->get('nearest_location_id=[session.nearest]');

        echo "<hr>";
        
        if(isset($nearest)) {
            echo "<h1>$nearest</h1>";
            echo "<h2>".$nearest_page->title."</h2>";            
        } else {
            echo "<h2>None Selected</h2>";                        
        }

 

[Robin S 6,283]

7 hours ago, jds43 said:

Just not quite sure of how to convert the json data to a session variable yet.

JSON is just a string so you can save it to $session as a string:

Or you could decode the JSON to an associative array and then save that array to session. The core wireDecodeJson() function is a handy shortcut to force the JSON to decode as associative arrays rather than objects.

[Robin S 6,283]

Also, take a look at the WireHttp docs, particularly WireHttp::getJSON() - this method can make your code more streamlined. 🙂 

[jds43 10]

Thank you @Robin S Allow me to look further at this.