InvalidJSON. The 'content' property of actions of type 'ParseJson' must be valid JSON. The provided value cannot be parsed: 'Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: �. Path '', line 0, position 0.'.

[elir]

Hi all,

I'm trying to parse a json file without success.

I'm using the Convert to Base64 and then Convert to Base64to String as seen in the picture.

While the output from the 'Compose - Convert the data into Base 64' action seems ok, the input for the 'Compose - Convert the data into Base 64 to String (JSON)' action has these sepcial charater - �

I've tried all option, i.e. run it without converting, run it with converting only to Base 64 and run it with converting to Bast64toString only but with no succes.

This is the beginning of the original json file:

This is the input to the 'Compose - Convert the data into Base 64' action:

The output is the same.

This is the input to the 'Compose - Convert the data into Base 64 to String (JSON)' action:

The output is the same.

I've also tried to insert and use Compose action to replace the special character with blank which hasn't helped.

The original json file is a Power BI activity log sitting inside Office 365 logs.

Any help is much appreciated.

[lbendlin]

Check your original JSON file in a hex editor.  Might be some funky UTF-16 BE or LE encoding.  

[elir]

Thanks Ibendlin.

It seems that the second compose adds these special character.

Anyway, this is how the original file looks in Hex Editor:

I assume the first two characters might be the problem, but even when I'm adding a new compose action after the first one with a SKIP action to remove first 2 characters, I still get the same results with the 'Compose - Convert the data into Base 64 to String (JSON)' action, i.e. the sepcial charater - � is still there on the second convert.

[lbendlin]

Called it!  You got yourself a UTF-16 LE file encoding, and Power Automate is confused

Byte order mark - Wikipedia

See if you can enforce UTF-8 without BOM at your source  (via a Header Accept instruction)

[elir]

Well, not sure how to achieve it - how to enforce UTF-8 without BOM

[lbendlin]

Add this to your headers:

Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

[elir]

Sorry, I might not be clear. I'm geting the file content from SharePoint using the 'When a file is created in a folder' trigger, so it is not a HTTP request where I can use an header, unless I'm missing something.

[lbendlin]

Which process places the file into the SharePoint?

[elir]

I manually upload a file to SharePoint

[lbendlin]

Where do you get the file from? Are you producing it yourself in a text editor?

[elir]

I've got it from mycustomer.

It is the Power BI Activity Log for specific period residning on Office 365 log

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

Ask them to export it again in UTF-8 format. Or use tools like Notepad++ to change the encoding of the file.

[elir]

Bingo ! This works. Once saving as UTF-8 using Notepad++, the flow succeeded.

Now I'm trying to find a way to automate the Save As UTF-8 using Create File and Get File actions, but with no success.

With the Create File action, I concatenated the File Contnet using concat(uriComponentToString('%EF%BB%BF '), triggerOutputs()?['body']), but this hasn't helped, so for now I left with saving the original file manually as UTF-8.

Thanks for your help.  Much appreciated.

[marcospfa]

I have a similar problem!
I am trying to send a file to sharepoint through an attachment form, for this I generated a variable from an example for a Power Automate model.

The process works very well, but when it reaches the Json parse, the error occurs.

[elir]

This is how I solved it:

Couple of conversion to Base64.

If this solved your issue please mark as an accepted solution.

[marcospfa]

Hello @elir , thanks for responding!
Sorry, I'm learning to program and unfortunately I still don't know how to do this conversion in power apps.

Could you explain better how I should do it?

Thank you very much in advance!

[elir]

 Hi @marcospfa,
What I suggested is a solution in Power Automate, not Power Apps.
However, from inside Power Apps you can call a flow in Power Automate and get back the result as a collection.
Try first to create the flow in Power Automate and see if it's working for you.

For each action above you can see the syntax inside with the tooltip I added in the image above.
If you are looking for a Power Apps solution, I think you should open a new ticket under the Power Apps forum, as this one is for Power Automate.
Cheers

[marcospfa]

Hi @elir , how are you?
So, I expressed myself wrong, I really need a flow in Power Automate to use in my Power Apps app.

Yesterday I even followed what you showed in the images, but there was an error, I tried to adapt it to the flow I made, as I show in the images I attached, the titles of the stages are in Portuguese, because I'm Brazilian, it doesn't help much, right... .lol.

What I need is the following:

The user will attach a file to an attachment form within my app in Power Apps, this form will be sent to SharePoint, however at the stage where it generates the JSON of the file it gives the mentioned error, if you can get past the Parsi JSON it will send a copy of the file to OneDrive and another to SharePoint.
I need the JSON so I can keep the name and extension of the files. If you know another way to maintain these characteristics when sending the files, it would help me a lot.

Sorry for the big text.

Thank you very much in advance!
Below is an image showing the process I did.

Always the same error