JSON field names with periods

[Matthew Rasmussen]

If I have a JSON schema that includes periods in field names, the periods get parsed into structural components of the output JSON.  For instance this:

“MSH”: {
“MSH.1”: “|”,
“MSH.2”: “^~\&”,

…parses as this in translation:
“MSH”:{
“MSH”:{
“1”:”\\|”,
“2”:”^~\\&”,

Is there a way to specify literal periods in the field names, without them getting parsed as structural components?

Topic

[Jim Kosloskey]

I am not a JSON expert and have done little work with JSON.

However a little reading on the web indicates periods (dots) in JSON field names may be representative of  a structure and thus not allowed to actually be part of a field name – which is what I think you are seeing via the Xlate.

The recommendation I saw was to use underscore in place of the period (dot).

If this is a Schema you built then I would try to replace the periods in field names with underscore.

If someone else built this schema, then I would try to validate it in one of the free online JSON Schema validation tools. If one or more of the tools indicate an issue with the period (dot), I would present that evidence to the originator of the schema and suggest they send a corrected schema.

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

[Matthew Rasmussen]

Hi Jim,

Funny story – I actually rebuilt the schema yesterday exactly as you suggested, with the underscores – great minds…  I’ll have to get the vendor’s blessing, but we’re redesigning the API in question anyway, so it shouldn’t be too hard to sell.  Especially if I take your additional advise and prove that these names don’t observe JSON best practice.  You can’t blame Cloverleaf for following the rules to the letter. I appreciate you sharing your wisdom and advise!

[Author]

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