Ruby: Checking JSON and Naming Variables - ruby

Question

I'm really new to working with JSON in Ruby, and am having a hard time figuring out why a script I'm running is generating blank lines as a result. Let's say that I'm parsing a file where one element is not always present. I want to check if that element exists, and depending on the result name variables in a specific way. Here is what I've been trying
require 'rubygems'
require 'json'
file = File.open("/path/to/file.json", encoding: 'UTF-8')
json = file.read
data = JSON.parse(json)
if data["snapshots"][-1]["responses"][2].nil?
item = something
elseif
item = something else
end
puts item
This is not generating an error, but is just producing a blank line. I'm sure I'm doing something obvious wrong, but would appreciate any help. Thanks!

Answer 1

Your main problem is that you had elseif instead of elsif
Full code using the JSON you provided below:
require 'json'
json = <<EOS
{
"snapshots": [
{
"steps": 10,
"responses": [
{
"tokens": [
"Answer"
],
"questionPrompt": "Question1?"
},
{
"tokens": [
"Answer"
],
"questionPrompt": "Question2?"
},
{
"locationResponse": {
"location": {
"speed": 0,
"timestamp": "2014-04-20T17: 28: 37-0400",
"longitude": "-xx.xxxxxxx",
"latitude": "xx.xxxxxx",
"verticalAccuracy": 3,
"course": 0,
"horizontalAccuracy": 5
},
"text": "Response"
},
"questionPrompt": "Question3?"
},
{
"tokens": [
"Answer"
],
"questionPrompt": "Question4?"
}
],
"battery": 0.75,
"sectionIdentifier": "1-2014-5-7",
"audio": {
"avg": -49.84988,
"peak": -39.73056
},
"background": 0,
"date": "2014-05-07T23: 20: 57-0400",
"location": {
"speed": -1,
"placemark": {
"subAdministrativeArea": "County",
"subLocality": "CityName",
"thoroughfare": "Street",
"administrativeArea": "xx",
"subThoroughfare": "xxx",
"postalCode": "xxxxx",
"region": "<+xx.xxxxxx",
"radius": 28.13,
"country": "UnitedStates",
"locality": "CityName",
"name": "Address"
},
"timestamp": "2014-05-07T23: 20: 58-0400",
"longitude": "-xx.xxxxxxx",
"latitude": "xx.xxxxxxx",
"verticalAccuracy": 10,
"course": 0,
"horizontalAccuracy": 65
},
"dwellStatus": 0,
"weather": {
"relativeHumidity": "68%",
"visibilityKM": 16.1,
"tempC": 13.3,
"precipTodayIn": 0,
"windKPH": 0,
"latitude": 40.813984,
"windDegrees": 159,
"stationID": "xxxxxxxx",
"visibilityMi": 10,
"pressureIn": 30.2,
"pressureMb": 1023,
"feelslikeF": 55.9,
"windGustKPH": 12.4,
"longitude": -77.895775,
"feelslikeC": 13.3,
"precipTodayMetric": 0,
"tempF": 55.9,
"windDirection": "SSE",
"dewpointC": 8,
"uv": 0,
"weather": "Overcast",
"windGustMPH": 7.7,
"windMPH": 0
},
"connection": 1,
"sync": 0,
"reportImpetus": 0,
"draft": 0
}
]
}
EOS
data = JSON.parse(json)
if data["snapshots"][-1]["responses"][2].nil?
item = "was nil"
elsif # THIS WAS elseif before
item = "NOT nil"
end
puts item