Using variables in a List for JSON parameters

[compuaid]

This should be simple but I've been researching the forum and the help files for hours and can't see how you do this. I have a login dialog. I want to call a web service and substitute the username and password in the JSON list of the request body. Here's the code I have and when I hard code the username and password it works fine but I can't figure out how to insert the user typed password. I've checked and the function is properly receiving the username and password (I can do a showvar(username) and see the username typed in the dialog and passed to the function).

FUNCTION f_KBA_Authenticate AS C (username AS C, password AS C )

dim req as p
dim req.body as c = ""
dim req.header as c = ""
dim req.host as c = "mywebservicedomain.com"
dim req.method as c = "POST"
dim req.page as c = "mywebservicepage.aspx/authenticate"
dim req.ssl_on as l = .f.
dim req.ssl_validatecert as l = .f.
dim req.timeout as n = 10000
dim global resp as p
dim global outerjson as p
dim global MemberInfo as p

req.header = <<%a%
content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8%a%

req.body = <<%body%
{
userid: " THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO PUT THE PASSED USERNAME ",
passwd: " THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO PUT THE PASSED PASSWORD"
}
%body%

I've tried using <%a5 username %> but when I do a showvar on the req.body it actually shows <%a5 username %> rather than the variable contents.

I know there must be an easy way to use variables in an A5 list that I'm just missing. I apologize in advance if this has been asked and answered and I'm just overlooking the thread.

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: Using variables in a List for JSON parameters

you should use the vartojson() xbsasic function to generate json. it is very easy.
if you are using the pre-release, there is a new function, json_generate() that is preferred over vartojson() which will be depecated.

you would do

dim p as p
p.userid = "alpha"
p.passwd = "beta"
dim txt as c
req.body = vartojson(p)

[compuaid]

Re: Using variables in a List for JSON parameters

Selwyn,

json_generate() worked perfectly! Thanks so much for such a quick reply!

For anyone who's interested in working with JSON web services, here's the complete code I'm using now:

FUNCTION f_KBA_Authenticate AS C (username AS C, password AS C )
'Date Created: 22-May-2012 05:21:27 PM
'Last Updated: 22-May-2012 05:21:27 PM
'Created By  : Brad Weaver
'Updated By  : Brad Weaver
dim req as p
dim req.body as c = ""
dim req.header as c = ""
dim req.host as c = "yourwebdomain.com"
dim req.method as c = "POST"
' Assuming that we're using an ASP.Net web service at location servicepage.asmx and calling method authenticate
dim req.page as c = "servicepage.asmx/authenticate"
dim req.ssl_on as l = .f.
dim req.ssl_validatecert as l = .f.
dim req.timeout as n = 10000
dim global resp as p
dim jsonbody as p

'Create the header expected by ASP.Net web services for a JSON format exchange
req.header = <<%a%
content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8%a%

'Build the parameters to pass to the web service
jsonbody.userid = username
jsonbody.passwd = password

'Create the JSON format parameters
req.body = json_generate(jsonbody)

'Call the web service and return the result in resp
resp = http_fetch(Req)

'ASP.Net web services scripting always code the response to element "d" in the response body if you're using the built-in [webscripting] interface
f_KBA_Authenticate = json_parse(resp.body).d

END FUNCTION