11-troubleshooting.md

Troubleshooting

get() returns my default although the key exists

The key holds null, and get() gives the default for null values as well as for missing paths. Use has() to check whether the key exists:

$dot = dot(['a' => null]);

$dot->get('a', 'x');   // "x"
$dot->has('a');        // true

get() returns [] or false instead of my default

The key exists with that value. Only missing paths and null values give the default. Use ?: for a fallback on any empty value:

dot(['a' => []])->get('a') ?: 'x';   // "x"

A key with a dot in its name can't be found

config.app.name looks for ["config"]["app"]["name"]. Escape the dot: config.app\.name. In a double-quoted PHP string, write "config.app\\.name".

A wildcard read returns the default instead of a list

Nothing matched: the array before the * is missing, empty, or not an array, or no element reached the last *. Pass [] as the default when you want an empty list:

dot(['users' => []])->get('users.*.name', []);   // []

A wildcard read has fewer entries than the array has elements

When keys follow the last *, elements that aren't arrays are skipped. Branches that miss a key before the last * are skipped too. Elements that are arrays but miss the rest of the path are kept, with the default as their value (the same as a null value).

set() with a wildcard didn't add anything

Wildcards only update existing elements; they never create them. Write to an index instead: set('users.0.active', true).

has() with a wildcard is false although some elements have the key

With a *, has() is true only when every matched element has the path. Check the values instead when one is enough:

$emails = dot($data)->get('users.*.email', []);
$anyEmail = array_filter($emails, fn ($email) => $email !== null) !== [];

delete('users.*') didn't remove the users key

A trailing * means the elements, so users becomes []. Use delete('users') to remove the key.

My original array didn't change

A DotArray works on its own copy. Use Reference Mode to write to your array.

toJson() returns an empty string

Encoding failed, usually because of invalid UTF-8. Pass JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR to see why:

$dot->toJson(null, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);   // throws JsonException with the reason