A PHP count of the number of items returned in JSON request?

I am looking for a way to count the number of items (in PHP) returned in these JSON strings I am getting when searching a database.

Forgive me because I'm utterly crap at all of this.

I was told because there is no count returned in the JSON version, like there is in the XML one from this database, I would have to use a loop to count the number of results?

I've had a look around but nothing seems to fit what I want to do...

The following is an example of the strings I get:

Array ( 
  [0] => stdClass Object ( 
    [score] => 12
    [popularity] => 3
    [name] => Samantha Dark
    [id] => 151019
    [biography] => [url] => http://www.themoviedb.org/person/151019
    [profile] => Array ( )
    [version] => 16
    [last_modified_at] => 2011-04-11 17:17:33
  )

  [1] => stdClass Object (
    [score] => 11
    [popularity] => 3
    [name] => Johnny Dark
    [id] => 158737
    [biography] => [url] => http://www.themoviedb.org/person/158737
    [profile] => Array ( )
    [version] => 14
    [last_modified_at] => 2011-04-11 17:18:38
  )
)

and if applicable, here's the php I use to reque开发者_StackOverflowst & decipher it

$name = $_GET['search'];
$persons_result = $tmdb->searchPerson($name);
$persons = json_decode($persons_result);

foreach ($persons as $person) {
  echo '<a href="tmdb_person.php?id='.$person->id.'">'.$person->name.'</a></br>';
}

Use the count function on $persons to get the number of items.

This should do the trick.

$iCount = count($persons)

When you call json_decode you're getting a PHP variable which contains an array of items and values.

Currently you're getting what's called a stdClass but if you add true parameter to your json_decode function, you'll get a normal array. Although using the true parameter or not, you can still call count :)

$name = $_GET['search'];
$persons_result = $tmdb->searchPerson($name);
$persons = json_decode($persons_result, true);
print_r($persons);

There you go :)

If you run a query identical to below it will return the Item, and count unique items

$query = " SELECT table_column_here ,COUNT(*) FROM table_name GROUP BY table_column_here;  ";

Which will return [{"column_name":"column_data_result","count":"1"}] via json.

You can use the code below, and it will display the json result back. Of course you will need to Connect to SQL to use below.

$query = " SELECT table_column_here ,COUNT(*) FROM table_name GROUP BY table_column_here;  ";

        $result = mysql_query( $query );
            if ( !$result ) {
                $ErrorMessage  = 'Invalid query: ' . mysql_error() . "\n";
                $ErrorMessage .= 'Whole query: ' . $query;
            die( $ErrorMessage );
    }

    $JSON_output = array();
        while ( $row = mysql_fetch_assoc( $result ) )
    {

    $JSON_output[] = array('column_name'        => $row['column_name'], 
                            'count'         => $row['COUNT(*)'],
                        );
    }

I would assume that it would be easier this route, but could be wrong :) Hope it helps you or someone else out :)