# JSON.parse and unicode escape? **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [26 August 2008 23:26 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/json-parse-and-unicode-escape/48637 "2008-08-26T23:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Rochkind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@Jonathan\_Rochkind](https://rubytalk.org/u/Jonathan_Rochkind)\ **Post date:** [26 August 2008 23:26 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/json-parse-and-unicode-escape/48637/1 "2008-08-26T23:26:01Z")
The documentation for the ruby JSON classes ([http://json.rubyforge.org/](http://json.rubyforge.org/)) implies that it handles unicode escaping fine. But I'm having trouble with parsing JSON with a unicode escape sequence in it. I am using the 'ext' parser (JSON::Ext::Parser) not the 'pure' parser. version 1.1.2, which appears to still be the latest. Here is some test JSON, that's actually an excerpt from some JSON returned to me by a third party web service. Finally boiled it down to the simplest demonstration case. I saved it in a file, but here's what's in the text file: > **···** > > # ===== { "key": 'something \x26 more' } > > I believe that is valid json, containing an escaped unicode char? But > JSON.parse on that string throws, complaining: > > JSON::ParserError: unexpected token at '{ "summary": ' \u0026 ' } > > I have verified it is the /x26 that's doing it. It doesn't like \x > escaped unicode. > > Am I doing something wrong? Is the JSON I am receiving from the third > party bad somehow? This is such a widely used library that I'd be > surprised if it's broken and can't parse input including unicode escape > sequences... but that's what it looks like to me. Feedback? > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![pwever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@pwever](https://rubytalk.org/u/pwever)\ **Post date:** [1 October 2008 04:18 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/json-parse-and-unicode-escape/48637/2 "2008-10-01T04:18:59Z")
I am running into what seems to be a related problem with the following code: irb > > require 'json' =\> true > > JSON.parse('{"s":"\uddb0"}') JSON::ParserError: source sequence is illegal/malformed near uddb0"}   from /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3/lib/json/common.rb:122:in `parse'   from /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3/lib/json/common.rb:122:in `parse'   from (irb):2 > > I don't know enough about unicode to really understand what is being escaped here, but the following unicode characters, very close in range (I assume) do not throw an error: "\ucdb0", "\uedb0", "\ud7b0" I also validated the JSON string ('{"s":"\uddb0"}') successfully at [http://www.jsonlint.com/](http://www.jsonlint.com/) and in Python. Any ideas of what might be the problem? Are there any alternative JSON parsers for ruby? Thank you very much // pascal > **···** > > from :0 ---
**Author:** ![Rob\_Biedenharn1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Rob\_Biedenharn1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Rob_Biedenharn1)\ **Post date:** [1 October 2008 04:29 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/json-parse-and-unicode-escape/48637/3 "2008-10-01T04:29:10Z")
That's not valid Unicode. See: > **[UDC00.pdf](https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/UDC00.pdf)** > > 48.08 KB You can only have that code point in UTF-16 -Rob > **···** > > On Oct 1, 2008, at 12:18 AM, pwever wrote: > > > I am running into what seems to be a related problem with the > > following code: > > > > irb > > > > > > require 'json' > > > > =\> true > > > > > > JSON.parse('{"s":"\uddb0"}') > > > > JSON::ParserError: source sequence is illegal/malformed near uddb0"} > >   from /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3/lib/json/common.rb:122:in > > `parse' > >   from /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3/lib/json/common.rb:122:in > > `parse' > >   from (irb):2 > >   from :0 > > > > > > > > > > I don't know enough about unicode to really understand what is being > > escaped here, but the following unicode characters, very close in > > range (I assume) do not throw an error: > > "\ucdb0", "\uedb0", "\ud7b0" > > > > I also validated the JSON string ('{"s":"\uddb0"}') successfully at > > [http://www.jsonlint.com/](http://www.jsonlint.com/) and in Python. > > > > Any ideas of what might be the problem? > > Are there any alternative JSON parsers for ruby? > > > > Thank you very much // pascal ---
**Author:** ![Pascal\_Wever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Pascal\_Wever](https://rubytalk.org/u/Pascal_Wever)\ **Post date:** [1 October 2008 17:55 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/json-parse-and-unicode-escape/48637/4 "2008-10-01T17:55:40Z")
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the clarification regarding the unicode range. Since I don't have control over the JSON source, I would like to try to parse the JSON even if it results in a malformed unicode string. So today I tried switching from 'json' to the 'ruby-json' library. After some searching online, I didn't find any documentation on how to use it though. Primarily I don't know how to include or require it. require 'ruby-json' require 'rubyjson' don't seem to work? Any ideas are appreaciated. Thank you very much // pascal > **···** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/).