Handling Pk[Int] values in spray-json - json

Question

[edit]
So, i got a quick and dirty solution, thanks to Edmondo1984, I don't know if it's the best solution. I don't handle null values with pattern matching at the write function. You can read more details about my problem after this editing. Here is my code now:
object DBNames extends DefaultJsonProtocol {
implicit val pkFormat: JsonFormat[Pk[Int]] = new JsonFormat[Pk[Int]] {
def write(obj: Pk[Int]): JsValue = JsNumber(obj.get)
def read(json: JsValue): Pk[Int] = json.asJsObject.getFields("id") match {
case Seq(JsNumber(id)) => new Pk[Int] { id.toInt }
case _ => throw new DeserializationException("Int expected")
}
}
implicit val nameFormat = jsonFormat2(Name)
jsonFormat2 will implicitly use pkFormat to parse Pk[Int] values.
In my controller class I have this:
def listNames() = Action {
val names = DBNames.findAll()
implicit val writer = DBNames.nameFormat
var json = names.toJson
Ok(json.toString()).as("application/json")
}
I had to get the nameFormat from my model and make it implicit, so bars.toJson could use it to parse the Seq[Name] names.
[/edit]
I'm trying to use Play! Framework with Scala, I'm new to Scala programming and Play Framework, and everything seems nice, but I'm working on this problem during several hours and didn't find a solution.
I have a Case Class:
case class Name (id: Pk[Int], name: String)
And an object to deal with MySql. I created a implicit val nameFormat = jsonFormat2(Name) to deal with JSON.
object DBNames extends DefaultJsonProtocol {
implicit val nameFormat = jsonFormat2(Name)
var parser =
{
get[Pk[Int]]("id") ~
get[String]("name") map {
case id ~ name => Name(id,name)
}
}
def findAll():Seq[Name] =
{
DB.withConnection {
implicit connection =>
SQL("select * from names").as(DBNames.parser *)
}
}
def create(name: Name){
DB.withConnection {
implicit connection =>
SQL("insert into names (name) values ({name})").on(
'name -> name.name
).executeUpdate()
}
}
}
But when I try to compile it, Play! gives me this result:
[error] D:\ProjetosJVM\TaskList\app\models\Names.scala:20: could not find implicit value for evidence parameter of type models.DBNames.JF[anorm.Pk[Int]]
It seems like he couldn't find a way to parse the id value, since it is a Pk[Int] value.
So, by reading this: https://github.com/spray/spray-json I didn't found a way to parse it without creating a complete object parser like they show in the documentation:
object MyJsonProtocol extends DefaultJsonProtocol {
implicit object ColorJsonFormat extends RootJsonFormat[Color] {
def write(c: Color) = JsObject(
"name" -> JsString(c.name),
"red" -> JsNumber(c.red),
"green" -> JsNumber(c.green),
"blue" -> JsNumber(c.blue)
)
def read(value: JsValue) = {
value.asJsObject.getFields("name", "red", "green", "blue") match {
case Seq(JsString(name), JsNumber(red), JsNumber(green), JsNumber(blue)) =>
new Color(name, red.toInt, green.toInt, blue.toInt)
case _ => throw new DeserializationException("Color expected")
}
}
}
}
I have a "big" (actually small) project where I want to make most of things work with Ajax, so I think this is not a good way to do it.
How can I deal with JSON objects in this project, where almost all case classes will have a "JSON parser", without creating large ammounts of code, like the snippet above? And also, how can I make it work with an Seq[Name]?

Answer 1

You don't need to write a complete parser. The compiler says:
[error] D:\ProjetosJVM\TaskList\app\models\Names.scala:20: could not find implicit
value for evidence parameter of type models.DBNames.JF[anorm.Pk[Int]]
The scala compiler is looking for an implicit parameter of type JF[anorm.Pk[Int]] and there is no such an implicit parameter in scope. What is JF[anorm.Pk[Int]]? Well, you need to know the library and I didn't, so I had browsed spray-json source and found out:
trait StandardFormats {
this: AdditionalFormats =>
private[json] type JF[T] = JsonFormat[T] // simple alias for reduced verbosity
so JF[T] is just an alias for JsonFormat[T]. It all make sense: PK[Int] is a class coming from Anorm and spray-json provides out-of-the-box json support for standard types, but does not even know Anorm exists So you have to code your support for Pk[Int] and make it implicit in scope.
You will have code like the following:
object DBNames extends DefaultJsonProtocol {
implicit val pkFormat : JsonFormat[Pk[Int]] = new JsonFormat[Pk[Int]] {
//implementation
}
// rest of your code
}
If you have just started with Scala, you would probably have to read more about implicits and their resolution. I am providing you with a minimal answer: once you have provided the right implementation, your code will compile. I suggest you to refer to the javadoc of anorm.Pk and of JsonFormat to understand how to implement it correctly for your type.
Pk looks like scala.Option and in StandardFormats source code inside spray-json you find the JsonFormat implementation for Option, from which you can copy