Why is json_decode Returning NULL After a Web Service Call?

JSON Decoding Issue After Web Service Call

In this situation concerning JSON parsing, the OP experiences a peculiar issue where json_decode inexplicably returns NULL after invoking a web service. The web service transmits JSON data that seemingly follows proper syntax:

{"action":"set","user":"123123123123","status":"OK"}

However, upon attempting to decode this JSON payload in the PHP application using json_decode($foo, true), it puzzlingly returns NULL.

Potential Resolution

To tackle this perplexing issue, the OP overlooks a potentially critical factor: PHP magic quotes. Magic quotes, if enabled on the server, can wreak havoc upon incoming data by escaping potentially hazardous characters. In this instance, the web service seems to be transmitting unescaped JSON, causing a clash with magic quotes.

To circumvent this issue, disable magic quotes by adding the following line to the beginning of the PHP script:

if (get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
  $param = stripslashes($_POST['param']);
} else {
  $param = $_POST['param'];
}
$param = json_decode($param, true);

This ensures that the JSON data received from the web service remains unaffected by magic quotes, resolving the decoding problem.

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