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Extract pure JSON data using Google Analytics Data API v1 runReport
I’m currently wrestling with GA4’s Google Analytics Data API v1 to fetch some json data. It’s a bit quirky though, the response I’m getting back isn’t pure json data. Instead it’s a pair of empty braces {} when I print it using PHP. Funny thing is, with predefined methods we can pick off the values. So I’m scratching my head a bit, wondering if there’s a way to net pure json data straight off the bat. Here’s my PHP gamesmanship, any thoughts?
(with PHP code)
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2 Replies
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Absolutely, let me clarify it for you.
What you’re seeing with your
$responseobject is an instance ofGoogleAnalyticsDataV1betaRunReportResponse, which is a kind of protobuf message. This comes from Google’s approach in many APIs where they use protocol buffers for their data format.Because of this, you can use a method
serializeToJsonString()that’s available for your response object. This method is going to generate a JSON string representation of your object.So, just write an echo statement
echo $response->serializeToJsonString();and this will print out your JSON string directly. -
It seems like the response might be an object that doesn’t directly serialize to JSON. This could be why you’re getting empty braces when you try to print it as such. Although you may not be able to directly convert the response to pure JSON, you could try to iterate through the object and manually build a new one that can be properly serialized. Alternatively, consider delving into the respective PHP methods or using
var_dump()to better understand the structure of the response object. This may provide some insight into why the direct conversion isn’t working and what can be done to correct it. Be sure to also check the API documentation for any guidance on how the response should be handled.
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