# ActiveResource - xml and json format return different results

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/activeresource-xml-and-json-format-return-different-results/154642>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 2, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/activeresource-xml-and-json-format-return-different-results/154642 "2008-12-02T15:53:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3bc359/32.png) [@g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/g0nzo)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/activeresource-xml-and-json-format-return-different-results/154642/1 "2008-12-02T15:53:07Z")

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Hi,

I’m using Rails 2.1.2. and I wanted to switch ActiveResource format to  
JSON and thought that it will work smoothly, but unfortunately it  
wasn’t the case.

XML and JSON formats generate different objects:  
XML version  
#\<User:0xb7658440 @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“created\_at”=\>Mon  
Nov 28 11…}\>

JSON version  
#\<User:0xb746af5c @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“user”=\>#\<User:  
0xb746ac64 @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“created\_at”=\>Mon Nov 28  
11…}\>

As you can see, when using JSON format, the result is nested. Is there  
any reason for this? Have it alwyas worked like this or is it a bug?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3bc359/32.png) [@g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/g0nzo)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/activeresource-xml-and-json-format-return-different-results/154642/2 "2008-12-02T15:57:52Z")

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On 2 Dec 2008, at 14:52, szimek wrote:

> Nov 28 11…}\>
> 
> JSON version  
> #\<User:0xb746af5c @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“user”=\>#\<User:  
> 0xb746ac64 @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“created\_at”=\>Mon Nov 28  
> 11…}\>

I suspect this is related to the  
ActiveRecord::Base.include\_root\_in\_json setting

Fred

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/3bc359/32.png) [@g0nzo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/g0nzo)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/activeresource-xml-and-json-format-return-different-results/154642/3 "2008-12-02T21:12:03Z")

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On 2 Gru, 15:56, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> > I’m using Rails 2.1.2. and I wanted to switch ActiveResource format to  
> > 0xb746ac64 @prefix\_options={}, @attributes={“created\_at”=\>Mon Nov 28  
> > 11…}\>
> 
> I suspect this is related to the  
> ActiveRecord::Base.include\_root\_in\_json setting
> 
> Fred
> 
> > As you can see, when using JSON format, the result is nested. Is there  
> > any reason for this? Have it alwyas worked like this or is it a bug?

Thanks!