Make Array of Objects from json_encode

Question

I have this object

stdClass Object (
 [reportDate] => 2014年02月02日
 [shops] => Array (
 [24] => stdClass Object (
 [shopid] => 24
 [cashiers] => Array (
 [1] => stdClass Object (
 [cashierid] => 1
 [products] => Array (
 [moneyIn] => 46
 [moneyOut] => 215.14
 )
 )
 )
 )
 )
) 

And When i make json_encode on it I get this json string

 {
 "reportDate":"2014-02-02",
 "shops":{
 "24":{
 "shopid":24,
 "cashiers":{
 "1":{
 "cashierid":1,
 "products":{
 "moneyIn":"46",
 "moneyOut":"215.14"
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }
 }

This result is not what I wanted. I want array of objects.

So instead of this "shops":{ I want this "shops":[ Instead of this "cashiers":{ I want this "cashiers":[ And so on.

Where ever there is an array in my stdClass I want array and where there is stdClass I want object.

So what am I doing wrong in structuring my initial stdClass Object.

Answer 1

An associative array results in an object, as you've seen. To produce a JSON array you need an array composed of arrays.

Here's an example

$shops = [['shopid'=>24, 'cashiers'=>[['cashierId'=>1]]]];

Produces

[
 {
 "shopid":24,
 "cashiers":[{"cashierId":1}]
 }
]

And here's the live runnable demo

Answer 2

You can't have associative arrays in JSON. An associative array will always become an object in JSON after json_encode.