Convert result into doubly nested JSON format - json

Question

I am trying to convert SQL Server results into a doubly nested JSON format.
Source SQL Server table:
ID
Name
Program
Type
Section
Director
Project
Sr Manager
PCM
Contractor
Cost Client
123
abc
qew
tyu
dd
ghghjg
hkhjk
fghfgf
gnhghj
gghgh
gghhg
456
yui
gdffgf
ghgf
jkjlkll
uiop
rtyuui
rfv
ujmk
rfvtg
efgg
Convert into doubly JSON as shown here:
[
[
{"key":"ID","value":"123"},
{"key":"Name","value":"abc"},
{"key":"Program","value":"qew"},
{"key":"Type","value":"tyu"},
{"key":"Section","value":"dd"},
{"key":"Director","value":"ghghjg"},
{"key":"Project","value":"hkhjk"},
{"key":"Sr Manager","value":"fghfgf"},
{"key":"PCM","value":"gnhghj"},
{"key":"Contractor","value":"gghgh"},
{"key":"Cost Client","value":"gghhg"}
],
[
{"key":"ID","value":"456"},
{"key":"Name","value":"yui"},
{"key":"Program","value":"gdffgf"},
{"key":"Type","value":"ghgfjhjhj"},
{"key":"Section","value":"jkjlkll"},
{"key":"Director","value":"uiop"},
{"key":"Project","value":"rtyuui"},
{"key":"Sr Manager","value":"rfv"},
{"key":"PCM","value":"ujmk"},
{"key":"Contractor","value":"rfvtg"},
{"key":"Cost Client","value":"efgg"}
]
]
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Edit:
I started with this by rewriting the "FOR JSON AUTO" so that I can add "Key" "Value" text somehow.
But because my table has space in the column name, FOR XML PATH('') giving invalid XML identifier as required by FOR XML error.
that is when I thought of taking community help.
Create PROCEDURE [dbo].[GetSQLtoJSON] #TableName VARCHAR(255)
AS
BEGIN
IF OBJECT_ID(#TableName) IS NULL
BEGIN
SELECT Json = '';
RETURN
END;
DECLARE #SQL NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'SELECT * INTO ##T ' +
'FROM ' + #TableName;
EXECUTE SP_EXECUTESQL #SQL;
DECLARE #X NVARCHAR(MAX) = '[' + (SELECT * FROM ##T FOR XML PATH('')) + ']';
SELECT #X = REPLACE(#X, '<' + Name + '>',
CASE WHEN ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY Column_ID) = 1 THEN '{'
ELSE '' END + Name + ':'),
#X = REPLACE(#X, '</' + Name + '>', ','),
#X = REPLACE(#X, ',{', '}, {'),
#X = REPLACE(#X, ',]', '}]')
FROM sys.columns
WHERE [Object_ID] = OBJECT_ID(#TableName)
ORDER BY Column_ID;
DROP TABLE ##T;
SELECT Json = #X;
END
Sample data:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Test1](
[ID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
[Col1] [int] NOT NULL,
[Col 2] varchar(50)
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[Test1] ON
GO
INSERT [dbo].[Test1] ([ID], [Col1], [Col 2]) VALUES (1, 0,'ABCD')
GO
INSERT [dbo].[Test1] ([ID], [Col1] ,[Col 2]) VALUES (2, 1, 'POIU')
GO
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[Test1] OFF
GO

Answer 1

You can use the following code:
Inside an APPLY, unpivot the columns as key/value pairs...
... and aggregate using FOR JSON PATH
Use STRING_AGG to do another aggregation.
SELECT '[' + STRING_AGG(CAST(v.json AS nvarchar(max)), ',') + ']'
FROM T
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT *
FROM (VALUES
('ID', CAST(ID AS nvarchar(100))),
('Name', Name),
('Program', Program),
('Type', [Type]),
('Section', Section),
('Director', Director),
('Project', Project),
('Sr Manager', [Sr Manager]),
('PCM', PCM),
('Contractor', Contractor),
('Cost Client', [Cost Client])
) v([key], value)
FOR JSON PATH
) v(json)
db<>fiddle
You cannot use FOR JSON again, because then you will get ["json": [{"key" : ...

Answer 2

first of all check this link you can find what you want
format-query-results-as-json-with-for-json-sql-server
but in your case you can try this
SELECT
ID,Name,Program,Type,Section,
Director,Project,Sr,Manager,PCM,Contractor,Cost,Client
FROM table
FOR JSON AUTO;
check the link there is more sample so it can help you