RE: json_table - get entire array

Yes, with JSON_UPDATE, JSON Documents can be modified:
Here is the documentation
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.6.0?topic=functions-json-update

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Birgitta Hauser
Modernization – Education – Consulting on IBM i
Database and Software Architect
IBM Champion since 2020

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (Les Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek Bok)
"What is worse than training your staff and losing them? Not training them and keeping them!"
"Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to. " (Richard Branson)
"Learning is experience … everything else is only information!" (Albert Einstein)


-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Jay Vaughn
Sent: Wednesday, 16 July 2025 17:06
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: json_table - get entire array

also while we are on the topic - and I have never seen this before but wondering if possible...

can you update an json?

is there a such a db2 sql statement where you can say... update myJson, set path/key value = 'foo'?

or can db2 json only be derived from a db2 table?

thanks

Jay

On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 10:53 AM Jay Vaughn <jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Daniel - that was right on the money!

I sincerely appreciate your help on this.

thanks

Jay

On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 10:16 AM Daniel Gross <daniel@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Jay,

as Birgitta and I said repeatedly - it's quite hard to "imagine" what
you have and want - you should at least provide some "example" data.
So - here is, what I "interpret" from the given information:

select *
from json_table('{
"orders":[
{"dtNr":"4711", "other_item":"aaa"},
{"dtNr":"0815", "other_item":"bbb"},
{"dtNr":"78714", "other_item":"ccc"}
]
}',
'$.orders[*]' columns(
"dtNr" varchar(20),
"json_data" varchar(32000) format json path '$'
)
)
where "dtNr" = '78714';

This gives you 2 columns - the "dtNr" and a column "json_data" that
contains the whole "orders" array element which has the given "dtNr".

But your mileage may vary - as I simply have "interpreted" what you
have written. So if it works - fine - if not - please send more
information about your JSON - shorten it, change the data, whatever makes sense.

HTH
Daniel

Am 16.07.2025 um 15:12 schrieb Jay Vaughn <jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx>:

errr- actually that is not it - it is pulling the orders array for
all order arrays and not just the orders array that contains dtNr =
7814

here is a very watered down version of the json that would
illustrate

the

paths I'm after...

{
orders[
{
dtNr
}
]
}


so I ultimately only want to retrieve the entire orders array that
has

the

dtNr = 7814

Jay

On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 8:58 AM Jay Vaughn
<jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

got it to work - and yes Daniel I totally agree that providing the
json would have been more helpful - sorry I couldn't was just too
big with

too

much sensitive data...

this is what I was looking for...

select *
from *json_table*(jvaughn.tempjson1
,'$'
Columns (orders *varchar*(*32000*) format json Path
'$.orders'
,nested '$.orders[*]'
Columns("dtNr" *char*(*10*)
)
)
) as t
where "dtNr" = '78714';


Jay

On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 7:48 AM Jay Vaughn
<jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Daniel - silly of me thinking ArrayData was some kind of reserved

word...

But the answer to your question is in the path... the key name of
the array is orders.

so If I replace ArrayData with "orders" - I still get null...


Select *
From *JSON_TABLE*(jvaughn.tempjson1
,'$' columns(NESTED '$.orders[*]'
Columns("dtNr" *char*(*10*)
,"orders" *VarChar*(
*32000*) format json Path '$.orders'
)
)
)
where "dtNr" = '78714';


thanks

Jay

On Wed, Jul 16, 2025 at 12:02 AM Daniel Gross <daniel@xxxxxxxx>

wrote:

So what's the "name" (key) of the JSON element containing the array?
Really "ArrayData"? Maybe the JSON path '$.orders' of the
element is

wrong?

Without seeing at least some part of the structure it's hard to
say where the error is. From what you write, it seems like it
looks like

this:

{
"orders":[
"drNr":"xxxxxx",
"ArrayData:[
...
]
]
}

That the "dtNr" column is populated is a good sign - so it seems

correct

until there.

Regards,
Daniel

Am 15.07.2025 um 22:57 schrieb Jay Vaughn <

jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx>:

this is great Birgitta (or anyone avail to answer)...

but my arraydata comes back null... however my dtNr is found!
I

need

the

associated array that dtNr is found in...

Select *
From *JSON_TABLE*(jvaughn.tempjson1
,'$' columns(NESTED '$.orders[*]'
Columns("dtNr" *char*(*10*)
,ArrayData

*VarChar*(*32000*)

format json Path '$.orders'
)
)
)
where "dtNr" = '78714';



tia

Jay

On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 4:26 PM Jay Vaughn <

jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx

wrote:

I actually think I got it...

lots of thanks Birgitta!

Jay

On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM Jay Vaughn <

jeffersonvaughn@xxxxxxxxx

wrote:

thank - this looks like interesting stuff I've never used
before

so I

have hope...

however both of these statements fail as-is (when replacing

json_document

with my actual json resource)

Jay

On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM Birgitta Hauser <

Hauser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

wrote:

If you only want to have a string, that contains everything
in an

object

or array, you just have to add FORMAT JSON:

Select *
From JSON_TABLE(Json-Document, '$'
Columns(ArrayData VarChar(4096) FORMAT JSON
Path '$.Orders');

You Could also use JSON_QUERY.

Values(JSON_Query(Json_Document FORMAT JSON '$.Orders');


Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Birgitta Hauser
Modernization – Education – Consulting on IBM i Database and
Software Architect IBM Champion since 2020

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the

stars."

(Les Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." (Derek
Bok) "What is worse than training your staff and losing
them? Not

training

them and keeping them!"
"Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well

enough

so

they don't want to. " (Richard Branson) "Learning is
experience … everything else is only information!"

(Albert

Einstein)


-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On

Behalf

Of

Jay Vaughn
Sent: Tuesday, 15 July 2025 18:48
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <

midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: Re: json_table - get entire array

Birgitta,

Yes, and you are kinda making the point for me.
That could get quite verbose based on everything under this

single

json

I'm targeting.
So was hoping for a simple way to just point at that array
(which

I'm

doing in my statement), and then say, bring it all back as a

string

(for

example)

thanks

Jay

On Tue, Jul 15, 2025 at 12:29 PM Birgitta Hauser <

Hauser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

wrote:

It would have been helpful to see the JASON ... have you
tried

this:

select *
from *json_table*(*trim*(jvaughn.tempjson1)
, '$.Orders[*]'
Columns (Column1 ... Path ...,
Column2 ... Path ...,
Nested $.Positions[*]
Columns(....)
)
) as t
where "dtNr" = '78714';

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Birgitta Hauser
Modernization – Education – Consulting on IBM i Database
and

Software

Architect IBM Champion since 2020

"Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among
the

stars."

(Les
Brown)
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
(Derek

Bok)

"What is worse than training your staff and losing them?
Not

training

them and keeping them!"
"Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them
well

enough so

they don't want to. " (Richard Branson) "Learning is
experience

…

everything else is only information!" (Albert
Einstein)


-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On

Behalf Of

Jay Vaughn
Sent: Tuesday, 15 July 2025 17:55
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: json_table - get entire array

I'm curious about a concept with json_table...

Given the below statement (which is invalid due to the

"columns('$')")...

Is there any possible way to have the statement select the

entire

orders array, sub array/objects, etc, without having to
define

that

entire array/subarray/objects DS for that orders array?

select *
from *json_table*(*trim*(jvaughn.tempjson1)
,'$' columns(NESTED '$.orders[*]'
columns('$')
)
) as t
where "dtNr" = '78714';

tia

Jay V
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