Parse JSON error - "message": "Invalid type. Expected Object but got Array."

[Amapola188]

Good Afternoon

I'm trying to update a list from an external site. I have the HTTP working but I get errors in the Parse JSON. 

I got a null error and used April Dunnam's solution to wrap the expected return type with a null option.

But now I get an error that it expects an object but gets an array.  I generate the schema from what came back in the HTTP action.

My data has different fields depending on the type of entry it is.

Any idea how to get around this?

As an aside, on the flow run it counts X of 100 but there's more than 100 entries. I that going to be an issue or is that just a display thing?

Thanks!

Christine

{
    "type": [
        "object",
        "null"
    ],
    "properties": {
        "id": {
            "type": [
                "integer",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "name": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "asset_tag": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "serial": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "model": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "model_number": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "eol": {},
        "status_label": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "status_type": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "status_meta": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "category": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "manufacturer": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "supplier": {},
        "notes": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "order_number": {},
        "company": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "location": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "rtd_location": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "id": {
                    "type": [
                        "integer",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "name": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "image": {
            "type": [
                "string",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "assigned_to": {},
        "warranty_months": {},
        "warranty_expires": {},
        "created_at": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "datetime": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "formatted": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "updated_at": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "datetime": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "formatted": {
                    "type": [
                        "string",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        "last_audit_date": {},
        "next_audit_date": {},
        "deleted_at": {},
        "purchase_date": {},
        "last_checkout": {},
        "expected_checkin": {},
        "purchase_cost": {},
        "checkin_counter": {
            "type": [
                "integer",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "checkout_counter": {
            "type": [
                "integer",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "requests_counter": {
            "type": [
                "integer",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "user_can_checkout": {
            "type": [
                "boolean",
                "null"
            ]
        },
        "custom_fields": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
                "Calibration Frequency": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Calibration due": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "SAP Equipment Number": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Calibration Provider": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Siemens Asset Number": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Business Area": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Business Line": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                },
                "Risk Assessment": {
                    "type": [
                        "object",
                        "null"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "field": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "value": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        },
                        "field_format": {
                            "type": [
                                "string",
                                "null"
                            ]
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "available_actions": {
            "type": [
                "object",
                "null"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "checkout": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "checkin": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "clone": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "restore": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "update": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                },
                "delete": {
                    "type": [
                        "boolean",
                        "null"
                    ]
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Errors:

[
  {
    "message": "Invalid type. Expected Object but got Array.",
    "lineNumber": 0,
    "linePosition": 0,
    "path": "custom_fields",
    "schemaId": "#/properties/custom_fields",
    "errorType": "type",
    "childErrors": []
  }
]

[ManishJain]

Hi @Amapola188 ,

You are trying to parse whole list of objects instead of one object at a time. Please use apply to each loop and parse current item inside that loop.

Thanks

[Amapola188]

@ManishJain Thanks, Manish. - Might have reached the end of my capabilities because I don't even know where to start.  Do I need an action for each object? I was hoping I could pull out everything I need in one fell swoop.

[ManishJain]

Hi @Amapola188 ,

If you are looking to parse whole array then use Parse JSON and in schema use generate from sample and paste the whole array. This way it will parse array.

consider sample array : [{"test":1},{"test":2}]

For my sample schema I got this 

{

    "type": "array",

    "items": {

        "type": "object",

        "properties": {

            "test": {

                "type": "integer"

            }

        },

        "required": [

            "test"

        ]

    }

}

Thanks

[Amapola188]

@ManishJain 

Back from leave. Happy New Year!

I had tried that but it threw an error, wanting an array but saying the result is a string. 

Also, my data source has different categories and depending on the categories it the item will contain different field types. (I'm wondering whether that is part of the problem and my schema doesn't allow for all options? Considering the size of the sample, I'm not quite sure how to check.)

I'm running into further problems thinking about what to do with the info.

• My SharePoint list ID matches the item number in my data source.
• However, I have discovered that the datasource's internal ID is different from its item number. I have added a column to my SharePoint list with the datasource ID. (That's a complication I did not expect!)
• What I'm trying to do is pull the data from the datasource and then update 3 things in my SharePoint list (status, location, calibration due date)
• What I can't get my head around is how I can match up the records. So I do Apply to Each and Parse JSON to get the info and I have the info for each item in my datasource. Do I now have to loop through my list to find the record to update? That would mean the flow needs to loop through the list for every item in my datasource. Sounds very laborious and time-consuming.

When I read the HTTP download, can I apply a filter based on the category? That would mean a switch statement to deal with the different categories but it might make the JSON schema more manageable?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Christine

[ManishJain]

Hi @Amapola188 ,

I would suggest you try and get the request which contains all the fields first. Then you need to put down which all fields can be null . Once you get that correct then add null in type part so that now you know if those fields are null nothings going to fail. 

Lets do one step at a time. I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish here with your flow but if you can share your flow steps that would be great. may be some one else can chime in as well. 

Thanks

[Amapola188]

@ManishJain 

I'm almost there now. Thanks for your suggestions.

I'm posting what I have and it's working but for the fact that it doesn't update the date but that's a date issue and I have another date issue so I will post a separate subject on that.

It's scheduled and I start with getting my SharePoint items and then the download from the external website via HTTP (GET).

I'm then parsing out the bits I need with Expressions:

item()?['assigned_to']?['username']

And manage the categories with a Switch statement:

That let's me pull a couple more parameters specific to the sections and update the SharePoint item: