JSON to Data URL

The function JSONtoDataURL(JSONString) converts any valid JSON into a Data URL.

The function dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) converts a Data URL which satisfies certain criteria into a valid JSON.

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JSON to Data URL Function

Step 1

The JSONtoDataURL(JSONString) function verifies that the string passed to the function:

• represents valid JSON

If this condition is not met, the JSONtoDataURL(JSONString) function will return a verbose error detailing how the string may be fixed.

Step 2

If the condition above is met, the JSONtoDataURL(JSONString) function returns the validated JSON as a Data URL.

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JSONtoDataURL(JSONString) :

const JSONtoDataURL = (JSONString) => {

  let jsonIsValid = validateJSON(JSONString);

  let dataURL = JSONString;
  dataURL = dataURL.replace(/(\s*\n)+\s*/g, ' ');
  dataURL = dataURL.replace(/\"/g, '\'');
  dataURL = dataURL.trim();

  const characterArray = dataURL.split('');

  for (let i = 0; i < characterArray.length; i++) {

    if (characterArray[i].match(/[A-Za-z0-9\.\,\;\:\/\*\-\=\_\~\'\!\$\@]/) === null) {

     characterArray[i] = encodeURIComponent(characterArray[i]);
    }
  }
  
  dataURL = characterArray.join('');
  
  if (jsonIsValid !== true) {
  
    dataURL = `%7B'AshivaConsole':'Data submitted does not represent valid JSON.','DataSubmitted':'${dataURL.replace(/\'/g, '\`')}'%7D`;
  }
  
  dataURL = 'data:text/plain;charset=utf-8,' + dataURL;

  return dataURL;
}

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Data URL to JSON Function

Naturally, a function like JSONtoDataURL(JSONString), above, needs a corresponding function which can perform the same transformation in reverse.

dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) will convert the Data URL (which conforms to certain constraints) into a valid JSON.

If the function cannot build a JSON out of the Data URL, it will return a verbose error, explaining why not.

Step 1

The dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) function converts the Data URL provided into an unformatted JSON.

Step 2

The dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) function then verifies that the unformatted JSON:

• represents valid JSON

If this condition is not met, the dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) function will return a verbose error detailing how the string may be fixed.

Step 3

If the condition above is met, the dataURLtoJSON(dataURL) function will format the valid JSON and return a formatted, valid JSON.

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dataURLtoSVG(dataURL) :

const dataURLtoJSON = (dataURL) => {

}

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Practical use-cases for JSON as a Data URL

• Any function like importJSON() which, during execution, fetch-es a supplied url (pointing to a remotely-hosted JSON) and then processes the contents will be able to do the same with JSON as a Data URL but without the JSON needing to be hosted remotely.