Convert Stripe API response to JSON using stripe-php library

Question

I'm accessing customer data from the Stripe API, which I'd like to convert to JSON. Usually I'd convert an object to an array and use json_encode() but I don't seem able to in this case, even when trying to access the nested arrays.

This is the response I'm trying to convert to json:

Stripe_Customer Object
(
    [_apiKey:protected] => MY_KEY_IS_HERE
    [_values:protected] => Array
        (
            [id] => cus_2dVcTSc6ZtHQcv
            [object] => customer
            [created] => 1380101320
            [livemode] => 
            [description] => Bristol : John Doe
            [email] => [email protected]
            [delinquent] => 
            [metadata] => Array
                (
                )

            [subscription] => 
            [discount] => 
            [account_balance] => 0
            [cards] => Stripe_List Object
                (
                    [_apiKey:protected] => MY_KEY_IS_HERE
                    [_values:protected] => Array
                        (
                            [object] => list
                            [count] => 1
                            [url] => /v1/customers/cus_2dVcTSc6ZtHQcv/cards
                            [data] => Array
                                (
                                    [0] => Stripe_Object Object
                                        (
                                            [_apiKey:protected] => MY_KEY_IS_HERE
                                            [_values:protected] => Array
                                                (
                                                    [id] => card_2dVcLabLlKkOys
                                                    [object] => card
                                                    [last4] => 4242
                                                    [type] => Visa
                                                    [exp_month] => 5
                                                    [exp_year] => 2014
                                                    [fingerprint] => NzDd6OkHnfElGUif
                                                    [customer] => cus_2dVcTSc6ZtHQcv
                                                    [country] => US
                                                    [name] => John Doe
                                                    [address_line1] => 
                                                    [address_line2] => 
                                                    [address_city] => 
                                                    [address_state] => 
                                                    [address_zip] => 
                                                    [address_country] => 
                                                    [cvc_check] => pass
                                                    [address_line1_check] => 
                                                    [address_zip_check] => 
                                                )

                                            [_unsavedValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
                                                (
                                                    [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                                                        (
                                                        )

                                                )

                                            [_transientValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
                                                (
                                                    [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                                                        (
                                                        )

                                                )

                                            [_retrieveOptions:protected] => Array
                                                (
                                                )

                                        )

                                )

                        )

                    [_unsavedValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
                        (
                            [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                                (
                                )

                        )

                    [_transientValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
                        (
                            [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                                (
                                )

                        )

                    [_retrieveOptions:protected] => Array
                        (
                        )

                )

            [default_card] => card_2dVcLabLlKkOys
        )

    [_unsavedValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
        (
            [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                (
                )

        )

    [_transientValues:protected] => Stripe_Util_Set Object
        (
            [_elts:Stripe_Util_Set:private] => Array
                (
                )

        )

    [_retrieveOptions:protected] => Array
        (
        )

)

Any help greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

PHP has reserved all method names with a double underscore prefix for future use. See https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.magic.php

Currently, in the latest php-stripe library, you can convert the Stripe Object to JSON by simpl calling **->toJSON().

[PREVIOUSLY]

All objects created by the Stripe PHP API library can be converted to JSON with their __toJSON() methods.

Stripe::setApiKey("sk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx");

$customer = Stripe_Customer::create(array(
    "card" => $token, 
    "plan" => $plan,  
));

$customer_json = $customer->__toJSON();

There is also a __toArray($recursive=false) method. Remember to set true as argument otherwise you will get an array filled with stripe objects.

Stripe::setApiKey("sk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx");

$customer = Stripe_Customer::create(array(
    "card" => $token, 
    "plan" => $plan,  
));

$customer_array = $customer->__toArray(true);

Answer 2

The attributes of Stripe_Objects can be accessed like this:

$customer->attribute;

So to get the customer's card's last4, you can do this:

$customer->default_card->last4;

However, you'll need to make sure you have the default_card attribute populated. You can retrieve the default_card object at the same time as the rest of the customer by passing the expand argument:

$customer = Stripe_Customer::retrieve(array(
    "id" => "cus_2dVcTSc6ZtHQcv", 
    "expand" => array("default_card")
));

Answer 3

On the latest version, You can use echo $customer->toJSON(); to get the output as JSON.