When writing JSON data using the WRITE-JSON( ) method, an optional LOGICAL expression, omit-outer-object, indicates whether the outer-most object is included in the JSON output. TRUE directs the AVM to remove the outer-most object on output, and FALSE directs the AVM to include the outer-most object in the output.

When writing a JSON string or JsonObject target, the default value is FALSE. If you specify the Unknown value (?), WRITE-JSON( ) also uses the default value of FALSE. When writing a temp-table to a JsonObject target, omit-outer-object must be FALSE. If you specify TRUE, WRITE-JSON( ) generates an error message and returns FALSE.

When writing a JsonArray target, the default value is TRUE. If you specify the Unknown value (?), WRITE-JSON( ) also uses the default value of TRUE. When writing a temp-table or temp-table buffer object to a JsonArray target, omit-outer-object must be TRUE. If you specify FALSE, WRITE-JSON( ) generates an error message and returns FALSE.

The following examples demonstrate the difference between the value of TRUE and FALSE for omit-outer-object when writing a JSON string on a temp-table or temp-table buffer object handle.

{"tt": [
  {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
  {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
  {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
]}

The above values are generated when the omit-outer-object is FALSE.

[
  {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
  {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
  {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 23}
]

The above values are generated when the omit-outer-object is TRUE.

The following examples demonstrates the difference between the value of TRUE and FALSE for omit-outer-object when writing a JSON string on a ProDataSet object handle.

{"pds" : {
  "tt1" : [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ],
  "tt2": [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ],
  "tt3": [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ]
}}

The above values are generated when the omit-outer-object is FALSE. 

{
  "tt1": [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ],
  "tt2": [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ],
  "tt3": [
    {"f1": 11, "f2": 12, "f3": 13},
    {"f1": 21, "f2": 22, "f3": 23},
    {"f1": 31, "f2": 32, "f3": 33}
  ]
}

For the same ProDataSet, the above values are generated when the omit-outer-object is TRUE.