How to validate JSON object where keys are variable and unknown?

[contentfree]

Consider the following JSON object:

{
  "sources": {
    "source1": { "type": "a" },
    "source2": { "type": "b" },
    "another one": { "type": "a" }
  }
}

(This structure is useful to ensure unique source identifiers, as opposed to putting objects containing an ID property in an array.)

I'd like to use Reform to validate this such that all values in the sources map have a type property (and have either a or b).

How does one accomplish this with Reform?

[konung]

Yes, it's possible to validate deeply nested hashes.

2 ways:

1. You can intelligently parse out incoming data, into a predefined simpler structure using a custom populator: http://trailblazer.to/2.1/docs/reform.html#reform-populators . Then validate simpler structure.
2. If the keys are unknown, you just want to validate, then you can use a custom validator with internal logic, me thinks. http://trailblazer.to/2.1/docs/reform.html#reform-validation-validation-groups

[contentfree]

Interesting ideas, @konung. Thanks for the insight.

[apotonick]

Hi @contentfree, Hi @konung this is a feature I will allow in Reform 3 (codename "Transform").

How deeply nested is the data structure @contentfree ?