What causes "Expected a JSON array of cookie objects." in tonhowtf/omniget?

Ensure the top-level JSON is an array: [{"name":...},...] or a single object {...}.

Expected a JSON array of cookie objects.

Error message

Expected a JSON array of cookie objects.

What it means

parse_json() accepts a JSON array of cookie objects, or a single JSON object (wrapped into a one-element array). Any other top-level JSON value (string, number, bool, null) bails with 'Expected a JSON array of cookie objects.'

Solutions

Ensure the top-level JSON is an array: [{"name":...},...] or a single object {...}.
If the content is a JSON-encoded string, deserialize twice or unwrap the inner JSON first.
Check the exporting tool's format (Edit-This-Cookie / Get-cookies.txt-LOCALLY) and re-export.

Example fix

// before
parse_json("\"[{...}]\"")?; // double-encoded string
// after
let inner: String = serde_json::from_str(content)?;
parse_json(&inner)?;

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

let v: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(content)?;
if !matches!(v, serde_json::Value::Array(_) | serde_json::Value::Object(_)) {
    return Err(anyhow!("cookie JSON must be an array or object"));
}

Try / catch

match parsers::parse_json(content) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("Expected a JSON array") => show_format_help(),
    other => other,
}

Prevention

Ensure top-level JSON is an array of cookie objects (or a single object)
Avoid double-encoding JSON strings
Validate exports with a JSON schema before import

When it happens

Trigger: Calling parse()/parse_json() with JSON that parses but whose root is a scalar or null — e.g. '"cookies"', 'null', or a double-encoded JSON string.

Common situations: Extension exported a bare quoted string; file contains 'null' after a failed export; JSON was double-serialized (a string containing JSON) by the caller.

Understand the failure class

Background: JSON parse error: "Unexpected token" / "not valid JSON" / "failed to parse" — what JSON parsers are really complaining about — this error's family across 45 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of tonhowtf/omniget@8600b91f42 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/75657d2e33d1ff73. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src-tauri/src/cookies/parsers.rs:206

    #[serde(default, alias = "expirationDate", alias = "expires")]
    expiration: Option<f64>,
    name: String,
    value: String,
    #[serde(default, alias = "hostOnly")]
    host_only: Option<bool>,
    #[serde(default, alias = "sameSite")]
    same_site: Option<String>,
    #[serde(default)]
    session: Option<bool>,
}

pub fn parse_json(content: &str) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<ExtensionCookie>> {
    let raw: serde_json::Value =
        serde_json::from_str(content).map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid JSON: {e}"))?;
    let arr = match raw {
        serde_json::Value::Array(a) => a,
        serde_json::Value::Object(_) => vec![raw],
        _ => anyhow::bail!("Expected a JSON array of cookie objects."),
    };
    let mut cookies = Vec::with_capacity(arr.len());
    for item in arr {
        let parsed: JsonCookie = match serde_json::from_value(item) {
            Ok(c) => c,
            Err(_) => continue,
        };
        let expires = match (parsed.session.unwrap_or(false), parsed.expiration) {
            (true, _) => 0,
            (false, Some(f)) => f as i64,
            (false, None) => 0,
        };
        cookies.push(ExtensionCookie {
            domain: parsed.domain,
            http_only: parsed.http_only.unwrap_or(false),
            path: parsed.path.unwrap_or_else(|| "/".to_string()),
            secure: parsed.secure.unwrap_or(false),
            expires,

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