How to check if properties in a JSON file are ordered? - json

Question

I have a big json file which is changed quite often (translation values). I need to check whether properties in this json are sorted alphabetically. Perfectly I'd like to use gulp for that and run this check in CI environment so when properties aren't ordered an error is reported.
I've searched for it but haven't found anything. Are you aware of any existing solution dealing with this problem?

Answer 1

You could do it purely with node.js and hook it into your gulp build process easily enough:
var fs = require('fs');
fs.readFile("data.json", { encoding: 'utf8' }, function(err, data) {
if (err) throw err;
var dataObj = JSON.parse(data).mystuff;
//check if it's ordered
for (var i = 1; i < dataObj.length; i++) {
if (dataObj[i].toLowerCase() < dataObj[i-1].toLowerCase()) { //note that depending on what it is you're ordering, this might need to change...
throw new Error('THIS IS OUT OF ORDER! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU!!!! KEEP IT ORDERED! AND WHAT DID YOU DO?!!! UNACCEPTABLE!!!');
}
}
console.log('Ordered correctly! Good work!');
});
And the data.json that I used to test it, ordered incorrectly:
{
"mystuff": [
"Super",
"Duper",
"Happy",
"Fun"
]
}
And ordered correctly:
{
"mystuff": [
"Duper",
"Fun",
"Happy",
"Super"
]
}
And if you want to take it a step further and have the process automatically re-order the file for you, you could do something like this:
var fs = require('fs');
var fileName = 'data.json';
var fileOptions = { encoding: 'utf8' };
fs.readFile(fileName, fileOptions, function(err, data) {
if (err) throw err;
debugger;
var dataObj = JSON.parse(data);
var dataObjOrdered = orderObj(dataObj);
var jsonOrdered = JSON.stringify(dataObjOrdered, null, 4);
fs.writeFile(fileName, jsonOrdered, fileOptions, function(err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('JSON data fields are ordered huzzah!');
});
});
/**
* Returns an object with the same data, but with its fields ordered.
* Note that we leave array values in the same order they're already in
*/
function orderObj(obj) {
if (!isObject(obj)) {
return obj;
}
//arrays are left alone. if you want to order them too, do it inside this block
if (Array.isArray(obj)) {
return obj;
}
//load up an array containing all our object's fields
var fields = [];
for (var field in obj) {
fields.push(field);
}
//sort the fields alphabetically (remember to do this compare case-insensitively since utf-8 capital letters come before lowercase letters)
fields.sort(function (a, b) {
a = a.toLowerCase();
b = b.toLowerCase();
if (a > b) {
return 1;
}
if (a < b) {
return -1;
}
return 0;
});
//return the new object with ordered fields, recursively ordering sub objects' fields
var result = {};
for(var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
var field = fields[i];
var value = obj[field];
result[field] = orderObj(value);
}
return result;
}
function isObject(value) {
// http://jsperf.com/isobject4
return value !== null && typeof value === 'object';
}