So I have a link that returns a jSON object, and I need to have it decoded and put into variables in PHP. 

**URL**

```
api.php?action=getThreads&hash=123fajwersa&node_id=4&order_by=post_date&order=desc&limit=1&grab_content&content_limit=1

```

This is the object that it returns 

```
{
    "count": 1,
    "threads": {
        "38752": {
            "thread_id": 38752,
            "node_id": 4,
            "title": "The ShadyCraft Beta Launch!",
            "reply_count": 45,
            "view_count": 946,
            "user_id": 2,
            "username": "Shady",
            "post_date": 1366956695,
            "sticky": 0,
            "discussion_state": "visible",
            "discussion_open": 1,
            "discussion_type": "",
            "first_post_id": 226167,
            "first_post_likes": 7,
            "last_post_date": 1369094302,
            "last_post_id": 228226,
            "last_post_user_id": 2,
            "last_post_username": "Shady",
            "prefix_id": 19,
            "tinhte_xentag_tags": "a:4:{i:0;s:9:\"minecraft\";i:2;s:4:\"news\";i:3;s:14:\"private server\";i:1;s:10:\"shadycraft\";}",
            "content": {
                "count": 1,
                "content": {
                    "226167": {
                        "post_id": 226167,
                        "thread_id": 38752,
                        "user_id": 2,
                        "username": "Shady",
                        "post_date": 1366956695,
                        "message": "[ATTACH=full]4143[\/ATTACH]\n \nWe've completely restructured ShadyCraft, and today will be the launch of the ShadyCraft beta.\n \nCurrent Features\n[LIST]\n[*]Towns\n[*]Nations\n[*]All out wars\n[*]A live update map\n[*]No White-list\n[*]Earn Money\n[*]Griefing allowed where possible\n[\/LIST]\nThese are just some features which have a lot more things behind them. For instance, there is town and nation upkeep, tax, kingdoms, mayors, and kings.\n \nWe really wanted to have the server self-governed and this is why griefing and PvP are allowed where ever they are possible. All towns and nations cannot be griefed by other members. You can create a town and buy plots for it and expand the town as you wish.\n \n[SIZE=4]All of this is shown in the live updating map located [URL='http:\/\/50.7.6.116:8123']here[\/URL].[\/SIZE]\n \n[SIZE=4][SIZE=6]Join the Beta Now[\/SIZE][\/SIZE]\n[SIZE=6]Server-IP: 50.7.6.116[\/SIZE]\n \n \n[USER=118053]Frenchy[\/USER] and [USER=4863]Wolfbane[\/USER]",
                        "ip_id": 747429,
                        "message_state": "visible",
                        "attach_count": 1,
                        "position": 0,
                        "likes": 7,
                        "like_users": "a:5:{i:0;a:2:{s:7:\"user_id\";i:105699;s:8:\"username\";s:6:\"kvothe\";}i:1;a:2:{s:7:\"user_id\";i:146724;s:8:\"username\";s:12:\"Graveyard219\";}i:2;a:2:{s:7:\"user_id\";i:70182;s:8:\"username\";s:9:\"wmbrown18\";}i:3;a:2:{s:7:\"user_id\";i:5473;s:8:\"username\";s:9:\"Oblivious\";}i:4;a:2:{s:7:\"user_id\";i:118053;s:8:\"username\";s:7:\"Frenchy\";}}",
                        "warning_id": 0,
                        "warning_message": "",
                        "anonymous_posting_real_user_id": 0,
                        "anonymous_posting_real_username": ""
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

```

I am really only interested in the 

```
"title":"The ShadyCraft Beta Launch!",  
"reply_count:"45, 
"view_count": 946,  
"user_id":2, 
"username":"Shady", 
"post_date":1366956695, 
"sticky":0, 
"discussion_state":"visible",
"discussion_open":1,

```

and finally the message 

```
[ATTACH=full]4143[/ATTACH]

We've completely restructured ShadyCraft, and today will be the launch of the ShadyCraft beta.

Current Features
[LIST]
[*]Towns
[*]Nations
[*]All out wars
[*]A live update map
[*]No White-list
[*]Earn Money
[*]Griefing allowed where possible
[/LIST]
These are just some features which have a lot more things behind them. For instance, there is town and nation upkeep, tax, kingdoms, mayors, and kings.

We really wanted to have the server self-governed and this is why griefing and PvP are allowed where ever they are possible. All towns and nations cannot be griefed by other members. You can create a town and buy plots for it and expand the town as you wish.

[SIZE=4]All of this is shown in the live updating map located [URL='http://50.7.6.116:8123']here[/URL].[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][SIZE=6]Join the Beta Now[/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=6]Server-IP: 50.7.6.116[/SIZE]

[USER=118053]Frenchy[/USER] and [USER=4863]Wolfbane[/USER]

```

So how can I extract the jSON object and put it in to correct variables in PHP, that I can later use? 

Variables like: `$username`, `$user_id`, `$message`, `$title`, `$discussionState`, and so on.

**I just need to know how I can retrieve the jSON object, then extract the data into variables in PHP.** 

I am now able to get the PHP array, but I am having some troubles calling the correct values. Here is the array.

> 
> Array ( [count] => 1 [threads] => Array ( [13] => Array ( [thread\_id]
>  => 13 [node\_id] => 4 [title] => Forum Integration nearly complete! [reply\_count] => 0 [view\_count] => 0 [user\_id] => 59 [username] =>
>  Faeron [post\_date] => 1369257302 [sticky] => 0 [discussion\_state] =>
>  visible [discussion\_open] => 1 [discussion\_type] => [first\_post\_id] =>
>  23 [first\_post\_likes] => 0 [last\_post\_date] => 1369257302
>  [last\_post\_id] => 23 [last\_post\_user\_id] => 59 [last\_post\_username] =>
>  Faeron [prefix\_id] => 1 [content] => Array ( [count] => 1 [content] =>
>  Array ( [23] => Array ( [post\_id] => 23 [thread\_id] => 13 [user\_id] =>
>  59 [username] => Faeron [post\_date] => 1369257302 [message] => It's
>  been quite a while since we began to integrate the phanime Forums with
>  the main site. We have now finished the integration with the phanime
>  Forums and the main site. You will no longer notice that there are two
>  platforms running phanime, but instead only one. Our next step is to
>  theme the forums to make it look like the main site! [ip\_id] => 268
>  [message\_state] => visible [attach\_count] => 0 [position] => 0 [likes]
>  => 0 [like\_users] => a:0:{} [warning\_id] => 0 [warning\_message] => ) ) ) ) ) )
> 
> 
> 

Now lets say this array was named `$array` then to get the first element's value "[count]" can't I just say the following: `print $array["[count]"]` <-- this returns an error. 

What about the element that has a value as an array itself, which is the `[threads]` element. How do I get, perhaps the `[thread_id]` element's value?