Stupid Question - JSON_ENCODE

i am currently pulling the whole thing out, running through an online JSON_DECODER and then re-shrinking and re-saving in the DB.

Why? I mean, why not just use php to json_decode() back to a php array, do your manipulation, and then json_encode() it back and save it?

$model = SomeModel::find(1);

// decode json back to associative php array
$data = json_decode($model->columnWithJson, true);

// change a property
$data['field'] = $newValue;

// encode php array as json
$data = json_encode($data);

// save
$model->update(['columnWithJson' => $data]);

There are easier ways to do this (setting accessors/mutators), but this is the gist.

https://laravel.com/docs/5.7/eloquent-mutators#attribute-casting

http://php.net/manual/en/function.json-decode.php

http://php.net/manual/en/function.json-encode.php

@cronix the reason I am doing it all online is because I want other people on the team to be able to easily edit it.

I guess I could just create a form input that would decode and encode upon save.

just found it strange that there is not an online tool for this.

Thanks!