Value <br of type java.lang.String cannot be converted to JSONObject

Question

i have been trying to come up with a form where trainee can apply for makeup lessons and when they submit the data will be stored in a database. I am new to android programming and I am also using the php to connect to the database.

i have no idea where the codes went wrong

This is my error:

08-01 14:04:42.808: E/JSON Parser(5907): Error parsing data org.json.JSONException:      Value <br of type java.lang.String cannot be converted to JSONObject
08-01 14:18:03.149: I/tagconvertstr(5965): [null]
08-01 14:18:03.149: W/dalvikvm(5965): threadid=15: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x40a71930)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965): FATAL EXCEPTION: AsyncTask #5
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965): java.lang.RuntimeException: An error occured while executing doInBackground()
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at android.os.AsyncTask$3.done(AsyncTask.java:299)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.finishCompletion(FutureTask.java:352)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.setException(FutureTask.java:219)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:239)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:230)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1080)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:573)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:856)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965): Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at com.example.testmakeup.Makeup$CreateMakeup.doInBackground(Makeup.java:288)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at com.example.testmakeup.Makeup$CreateMakeup.doInBackground(Makeup.java:1)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:287)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:234)
08-01 14:18:03.308: E/AndroidRuntime(5965):     ... 4 more

My Android Codes:

import android.app.Activity;
import android.widget.AdapterView;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.app.DatePickerDialog;
import android.app.Dialog;
import android.app.ProgressDialog;
import android.app.TimePickerDialog;
import android.os.AsyncTask;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.AdapterView.OnItemSelectedListener;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.TabHost;
import android.widget.TimePicker;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.List;
import org.apache.http.NameValuePair;
import org.apache.http.message.BasicNameValuePair;
import org.json.JSONException;
import org.json.JSONObject;
import android.widget.DatePicker;

public class Makeup extends Activity {
Button AbsentDate;
Button MakeupDate;
Button MakeupTime;
Button Submit;
private int year;
private int month;
private int day;
private int hour;
private int minute;
static final int DATE_DIALOG_ID = 999;
static final int DATE_DIALOG_ID_1 = 1;
static final int TIME_DIALOG_ID = 2;

private EditText name, trainee_id, batch_id, module_name, reason, remarks;
private String department;
private String makeuptime;
private String makeupdate;
private String absentdate;  

private static String Makeup_URL = "http://10.0.2.2/MajorProject/TestMakeup/NewMakeUp.php";
private static final String TAG_SUCCESS = "success";
private static final String TAG_MESSAGE = "message";
// JSON parser class
private ProgressDialog pDialog; 
JSONParser jsonParser = new JSONParser();

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        setContentView(R.layout.makeup);            
        TabHost tabs=(TabHost)findViewById(R.id.tabhost); 
        tabs.setup(); 
        TabHost.TabSpec spec=tabs.newTabSpec("tag1"); 
        spec.setContent(R.id.tab1); 
        spec.setIndicator("Make Up Form");          
        tabs.addTab(spec); 
        spec=tabs.newTabSpec("tag2"); 
        spec.setContent(R.id.tab2); 
        spec.setIndicator("Exam Claims"); 
        tabs.addTab(spec);
        tabs.setCurrentTab(0);          
        setCurrentDateOnView();
        addListenerOnButton();
        setCurrentTimeOnView();

        name = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.Name);
        trainee_id =(EditText)findViewById(R.id.TranineeID);
        batch_id = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.BatchID);
        module_name = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.ModuleName);
        reason = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.Reason);
        remarks = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.Remarks); 

         Spinner Spin = (Spinner) findViewById(R.id.spinner1);

            ArrayAdapter<CharSequence> adapter =          ArrayAdapter.createFromResource(this,
                    R.array.DeptName, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item);
         // Apply the adapter to the spinner
            Spin.setAdapter(adapter);           
            Spin.setOnItemSelectedListener(new MyOnItemSelectedListener());
} 

public class MyOnItemSelectedListener implements OnItemSelectedListener {

    public void onItemSelected(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int pos, long id) {

       department = parent.getItemAtPosition(pos).toString();
    }

    public void onNothingSelected(AdapterView parent) {
        // Do nothing.
    }
}

public void setCurrentDateOnView() { 

    AbsentDate = (Button)findViewById(R.id.AbsentDate);
    MakeupDate = (Button)findViewById(R.id.MakeupDate);     
    final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
    year = c.get(Calendar.YEAR);
    month = c.get(Calendar.MONTH);
    day = c.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH); 
    // set current date into button
    AbsentDate.setText(new StringBuilder()
    // Month is 0 based, just add 1
    .append(day).append("-").append(month + 1).append("-")
    .append(year).append(" "));     
    // set current date into button
    MakeupDate.setText(new StringBuilder()
    // Month is 0 based, just add 1
    .append(day).append("-").append(month + 1).append("-")
    .append(year).append(" ")); 

}   

public void setCurrentTimeOnView(){ 

    MakeupTime = (Button) findViewById(R.id.MakeupTime);        
    final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
    hour = c.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY);
    minute = c.get(Calendar.MINUTE); 
    // set current time into textview
    MakeupTime.setText(new StringBuilder().append(pad(hour))
    .append(":").append(pad(minute)));

} 

public void addListenerOnButton() {

    AbsentDate = (Button)findViewById(R.id.AbsentDate);

    AbsentDate.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            showDialog(DATE_DIALOG_ID);
        }
    });     
    MakeupDate = (Button)findViewById(R.id.MakeupDate);

    MakeupDate.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            showDialog(DATE_DIALOG_ID_1);
        }
    });     
    MakeupTime = (Button) findViewById(R.id.MakeupTime);         
    MakeupTime.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() { 
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) { 
            showDialog(TIME_DIALOG_ID);
        }
    });     
    Submit =(Button)findViewById(R.id.Submit);
    Submit.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener(){
        public void onClick(View v){
            new CreateMakeup().execute();
        }
    }); 
}

@Override
protected Dialog onCreateDialog(int id) {
    switch (id) {
    case DATE_DIALOG_ID:
       // set date picker as current date
       return new DatePickerDialog(this, datePickerListener, 
                     year, month,day);
    case DATE_DIALOG_ID_1:
           // set date picker as current date
           return new DatePickerDialog(this, datePickerListener1, 
                         year, month,day);
    case TIME_DIALOG_ID:
        // set time picker as current time
        return new TimePickerDialog(this, 
                                    timePickerListener, hour, minute,false);
    }   
    return null;
}  
private DatePickerDialog.OnDateSetListener datePickerListener = new DatePickerDialog.OnDateSetListener() {
    // when dialog box is closed, below method will be called.
    public void onDateSet(DatePicker view, int selectedYear,
        int selectedMonth, int selectedDay) {
    year = selectedYear;
    month = selectedMonth;
    day = selectedDay;  
    // set selected date into textview
    AbsentDate.setText(new StringBuilder().append(month + 1)
       .append("-").append(day).append("-").append(year)
       .append(" "));   
    absentdate= AbsentDate.toString();
    }
}; 

private DatePickerDialog.OnDateSetListener datePickerListener1 = new DatePickerDialog.OnDateSetListener() {

    // when dialog box is closed, below method will be called.
    public void onDateSet(DatePicker view, int selectedYear,
        int selectedMonth, int selectedDay) {
    year = selectedYear;
    month = selectedMonth;
    day = selectedDay;  
    // set selected date into textview
    MakeupDate.setText(new StringBuilder().append(month + 1)
       .append("-").append(day).append("-").append(year)
       .append(" "));       
    makeupdate= MakeupDate.toString();      
    }
};

   private TimePickerDialog.OnTimeSetListener timePickerListener = 
        new TimePickerDialog.OnTimeSetListener() {
    public void onTimeSet(TimePicker view, int selectedHour,
            int selectedMinute) {
        hour = selectedHour;
        minute = selectedMinute;

        // set current time into timebutton
        MakeupTime.setText(new StringBuilder().append(pad(hour))
                .append(":").append(pad(minute)));

        makeuptime = MakeupTime.toString();         
    }
};
private static String pad(int c) {
    if (c >= 10)
       return String.valueOf(c);
    else
       return "0" + String.valueOf(c);
}   
 class CreateMakeup extends  AsyncTask<String, String, String> {          
     boolean failure = false;
    private String result;      
           @Override
     protected void onPreExecute() {
            super.onPreExecute();
           pDialog = new ProgressDialog(Makeup.this);
           pDialog.setMessage("Submiting...");
           pDialog.setIndeterminate(false);
           pDialog.setCancelable(true);
           pDialog.show();
     }
        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(String... args) {
            // TODO Auto-generated method stub
             // Check for success tag
            int success;
            String Name = name.getText().toString();
            String Department = department;
            String Trainee_id = trainee_id.getText().toString();
            String Batch_id = batch_id.getText().toString();
            String Absent_date = absentdate;
            String Module_name = module_name.getText().toString();
            String Absentreason = reason.getText().toString();
            String Makeup_date = makeupdate;
            String Makeup_time = makeuptime;
            String Remarks = remarks.getText().toString();                          
            try {
                // Building Parameters
                List<NameValuePair> params = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("name", Name));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("department", Department));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("trainee_id", Trainee_id));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("batch_id", Batch_id));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("absentdate",Absent_date));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("module_name", Module_name));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("reason", Absentreason));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("makeupdate", Makeup_date));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("makeuptime", Makeup_time));
                params.add(new BasicNameValuePair("remarks",  Remarks));    

               Log.d("request!", "starting");

                JSONObject json = jsonParser.makeHttpRequest(
                        Makeup_URL, "POST", params);

                            // Async json success tag
                            success = json.getInt(TAG_SUCCESS);
                            if (success == 1) {
                                Log.d("Submitted", json.toString());
                                finish();                                   
                                return json.getString(TAG_MESSAGE);
                            } else {
                                Log.d("Fail to Submit!", json.getString(TAG_MESSAGE));
                                return json.getString(TAG_MESSAGE);
                            }

            } catch (JSONException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

            return null;
        }           
}
}

and my php file:

<?php
$response = array();

// include db connect class
require_once __DIR__ . '/db_connect.php';

// connecting to db
$db = new DB_CONNECT();

// get all products from products table
if (!empty($_POST)) {
//initial query
$query = "INSERT INTO make up ( Trainnee_Name, Department, Trainnee_ID, Batch_ID, Absent_Date, Module_Name, Reason_For_Absent, Makeup_Date, Makeup_Time, Remarks )
 VALUES ( :Trainnee_Name, :Department, :Trainnee_ID, :Batch_ID, :Absent_Date, :Module_Name, :Reason_For_Absent, :Makeup_Date, :Makeup_Time, :Remarks) ";

//Update query
$query_params = array(
    ':Trainnee_Name' => $_POST['name'],
    ':Department' => $_POST['pepartment'],
    ':Trainnee_ID' => $_POST['trainnee_id']
    ':Batch_ID' => $_POST['batch_id']
    ':Absent_Date' => $_POST['absentdate']
    ':Module_Name' => $_POST['module_name']
    ':Reason_For_Absent' => $_POST['reason']
    ':Makeup_Date' => $_POST['Makeupdate']
    ':Makeup_Time' => $_POST['Makeuptime']
    ':Remarks' => $_POST['remarks']
);

//execute query
try {
    $stmt   = $db->prepare($query);
    $result = $stmt->execute($query_params);
}
catch (PDOException $ex) {
    // For testing, you could use a die and message. 
    //die("Failed to run query: " . $ex->getMessage());

    //or just use this use this one:
    $response["success"] = 0;
    $response["message"] = "Database Error. Couldn't add post!";
    die(json_encode($response));
}

$response["success"] = 1;
$response["message"] = "Post Successfully Added!";
echo json_encode($response);

} 

?>

Part of JSONParser.java

public JSONObject makeHttpRequest(String url, String method,
        List<NameValuePair> params) { 

if(method == "POST"){
            // request method is POST
            // defaultHttpClient
            DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
            HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost(url);
            httpPost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(params));

            HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
            HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
            is = httpEntity.getContent();

 try {
        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
                is, "iso-8859-1"), 8);
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        String line = null;
        while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
            sb.append(line + "\n");
        }
        is.close();
        json = sb.toString();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e   ("Buffer Error", "Error converting result " + e.toString());
    }

    // try parse the string to a JSON object
    try {
        jObj = new JSONObject(json);
    } catch (JSONException e) {
        Log.e("JSON Parser", "Error parsing data " + e.toString());
    }

    // return JSON String
    return jObj;

}

Answer 1

I think on line JSONObject json = jsonParser.makeHttpRequest(Makeup_URL, "POST", params); returns invalid Json. As per the error log the response is <br> or starts with <br>. Which is getting failed while parsing. As a result your json object is Null. And it gives Null Pointer Exception on Line 288.

Will you please check why its not returning JSON. You will have to be extra sure that the response should be JSON.