Reading in a JSON File Using Swift

Question

I'm really struggling with trying to read a JSON file into Swift so I can play around with it. I've spent the best part of 2 days re-searching and trying different methods but no luck as of yet so I have signed up to StackOverFlow to see if anyone can point me in the right direction.....

My JSON file is called test.json and contains the following:

{
  "person":[
     {
       "name": "Bob",
       "age": "16",
       "employed": "No"
     },
     {
       "name": "Vinny",
       "age": "56",
       "employed": "Yes"
     }
  ]
}    

The file is stored in the documents directly and I access it using the following code:

let file = "test.json"
let dirs : String[] = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(
                                                          NSSearchpathDirectory.DocumentDirectory,
                                                          NSSearchPathDomainMask.AllDomainMask,
                                                          true) as String[]

if (dirs != nil) {
    let directories: String[] = dirs
    let dir = directories[0]
    let path = dir.stringByAppendingPathComponent(file)
}

var jsonData = NSData(contentsOfFile:path, options: nil, error: nil)
println("jsonData \(jsonData)" // This prints what looks to be JSON encoded data.

var jsonDict = NSJSONSerialization.JSONObjectWithData(jsonData, options: nil, error: nil) as? NSDictionary

println("jsonDict \(jsonDict)") - This prints nil..... 

If anyone can just give me a push in the right direction on how I can de-serialize the JSON file and put it in an accessible Swift object I will be eternally grateful!

Kind Regards,

Krivvenz.

Answer 1

Swift 4.x and 5.x using Decodable

struct ResponseData: Decodable {
    var person: [Person]
}
struct Person : Decodable {
    var name: String
    var age: String
    var employed: String
}

func loadJson(filename fileName: String) -> [Person]? {
    if let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: fileName, withExtension: "json") {
        do {
            let data = try Data(contentsOf: url)
            let decoder = JSONDecoder()
            let jsonData = try decoder.decode(ResponseData.self, from: data)
            return jsonData.person
        } catch {
            print("error:\(error)")
        }
    }
    return nil
}

Swift 3

func loadJson(filename fileName: String) -> [String: AnyObject]? {
    if let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: fileName, withExtension: "json") {
        do {
            let data = try Data(contentsOf: url)
            let object = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data, options: .allowFragments)
            if let dictionary = object as? [String: AnyObject] {
                return dictionary
            }
        } catch {
            print("Error!! Unable to parse  \(fileName).json")
        }
    }
    return nil
}