title: How to use cURL to get jSON data and decode the data?
body: <p>So I have a link that returns a jSON object, and I need to have it decoded and put into variables in PHP. </p>
  
  <p><strong>URL</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>api.php?action=getThreads&amp;hash=123fajwersa&amp;node_id=4&amp;order_by=post_date&amp;order=desc&amp;limit=1&amp;grab_content&amp;content_limit=1
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This is the object that it returns </p>
  
  <pre><code>{
      "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": ""
                      }
                  }
              }
          }
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am really only interested in the </p>
  
  <pre><code>"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,
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and finally the message </p>
  
  <pre><code>[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]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So how can I extract the jSON object and put it in to correct variables in PHP, that I can later use? </p>
  
  <p>Variables like: <code>$username</code>, <code>$user_id</code>, <code>$message</code>, <code>$title</code>, <code>$discussionState</code>, and so on.</p>
  
  <p><strong>I just need to know how I can retrieve the jSON object, then extract the data into variables in PHP.</strong> </p>
  
  <p>I am now able to get the PHP array, but I am having some troubles calling the correct values. Here is the array.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>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] => ) ) ) ) ) )</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Now lets say this array was named <code>$array</code> then to get the first element's value "[count]" can't I just say the following: <code>print $array["[count]"]</code>  &lt;-- this returns an error. </p>
  
  <p>What about the element that has a value as an array itself, which is the <code>[threads]</code> element. How do I get, perhaps the <code>[thread_id]</code> element's value? </p>