You might want to look up json validators: https://www.google.com/search?q=json+validator&oq=json+validator
They can point you to issues with your JSON data. Then our json.decode() should be able to turn that into a Lua table for you.
Rob
i like this one for decoding json tables
you could paste your code and try to minimize and edit it, until you figure out whats up.
kinda got curious
this works [{}]
but this doesnt [{{}}]
which should give a clue 
You have “=” signs after waveSpawnTime entries. Also, with that table structure, you’d need to start and end with [], as in:
[{ "waveSpawnTime": 15000, "spawnpoint": [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "enemies": [4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4], "speed": [120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120], "spawntime": [1100, 1100, 1100, 1100, 1100, 1100], "hitpoints": [2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "deathmoney": [5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5], "storePoints": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], "rotationON": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "colorID": [14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19], "resistance": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "resstrength": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "HP": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "BarSpeed": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], }, { "waveSpawnTime" : 15000, "spawnpoint": [2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "enemies": [4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4], "speed": [120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120], "spawntime": [1100, 1100, 1100, 1100, 1100, 1100], "hitpoints": [2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "deathmoney": [5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5], "storePoints": [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], "rotationON": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "colorID": [14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19], "resistance": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "resstrength": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "HP": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "BarSpeed": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], }, ]Oh, and for future reference, in JSON, you use square brackets [] for lists, i.e. arrays where you just have entries 1, 2, … n, etc. With curly brackets { } you need to provide key value pairs.
Thank you very much for all your fast help here! Much appreciated!
One more thing: I tried to decode many variations without success so far. I always get this:
Decode failed at 1: value expected at line 1, column 1
Any idea what this means?
You get the error because the first line is invalid. You are using a curly bracket but then you are not providing any key value pairs. Instead, you are providing just a list of other tables.
Also, you said that you tried many variations. Did you try the code that I provided?
Yes I did. Here: https://jsonformatter.org/
I then get
Parse error on line 19:
… 0, 0], }, { "waveSpa
----------------------^
Expecting ‘STRING’, got ‘}’
I have not enough nerves left for today to fix this 
It’s that validator that you linked which is messed up. The code will run fine if you run it through json.decode in Corona.
My code in corona is:
local path = system.pathForFile( "testwaves.json", system.DocumentsDirectory ) local decoded, pos, msg = json.decode( path ) if decoded then return decoded else print( "Decode failed at "..tostring(pos)..": "..tostring(msg) ) return WaveInfo\_G1\_S2\_World1 end
And this is always resulting in the Decode failed with:
Decode failed at 1: value expected at line 1, column 1
i inserted the fixed code from Xedur into the online decoder i linked to before, and it worked fine.
He stated “You have “=” signs after waveSpawnTime entries”
Did you try to fix this? If you didnt, it would explain the error you are getting all the time.
it is after all value 1 
Here’s a sample project that contains test.json file that contains the above mentioned data. The main.lua file contains a simple function for loading and decoding the file and afterwards the contents are printed out.
I now have reverse engineered the whole thing and finally got a json table like this:
[ [ { "waveSpawnTime":15000, "spawnpoint": [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "enemies": [ 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4], "hitpoints": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "spawntime": [ 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050], "speed": [ 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120], "deathmoney": [ 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5], "rotationON": [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "scorePoints": [ 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], "colorID": [ 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21], "resistance": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "resstrength": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "BarSpeed": [ 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7], "HP": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] }, { "waveSpawnTime":15000, "spawnpoint": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "enemies": [ 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4], "hitpoints": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "spawntime": [ 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050], "speed": [ 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120], "deathmoney": [ 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5], "rotationON": [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "scorePoints": [ 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], "colorID": [ 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21], "resistance": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "resstrength": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "BarSpeed": [ 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7], "HP": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] }, { "waveSpawnTime":15000, "spawnpoint": [ 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3], "enemies": [ 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4], "hitpoints": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2], "spawntime": [ 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050, 1050], "speed": [ 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120, 120], "deathmoney": [ 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5], "rotationON": [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1], "scorePoints": [ 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], "colorID": [ 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21], "resistance": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "resstrength": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "BarSpeed": [ 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7], "HP": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2] } ] ]
Still get the error with the above code BUT I now have changed the code for decoding to this:
local path = system.pathForFile( "testwaves.json", system.DocumentsDirectory ) local file, errorString = io.open( path, "r" ) if not file then -- Error occurred; output the cause print( "File error: " .. errorString ) return WaveInfo\_G1\_S2\_World1 else -- Read data from file local contents = file:read( "\*a" ) -- Decode JSON data into Lua table local t = json.decode( contents ) -- Close the file handle io.close( file ) -- Return table return t end
And now it finally is working!
Thank you for all your help! I really appreciate your help and fast feedback!
Have a great weekend!
- Daniela
you removed the “=” signs 
And your original decoding script never opened the path for reading
netflix was getting dull anyway so nothing like a little bug hunting on friday evening.
i might even code a bit myself no then.
Have a great weekend as well.
I wondered what you are doing on a friday to get so fast answers!
Thanks!
listening to some old but great freestyle music while trying some code tweaks, high on caffeine.
cheers!