JsonArray DataFlex Reference Documentation

JsonArray

Current Version: 11.5.0

Chilkat.JsonArray

Read, modify, search, and emit ordered JSON arrays.

Chilkat.JsonArray is the JSON array companion to Chilkat.JsonObject. It represents an ordered list of JSON values and provides index-based methods for reading, inserting, replacing, deleting, swapping, searching, and emitting array data. It supports scalar values, nested objects, nested arrays, date/time parsing, exact numeric string handling, compact or pretty output, and search helpers for arrays of strings or arrays of objects.

Ordered JSON values

Work with JSON arrays as ordered lists containing strings, numbers, booleans, nulls, objects, arrays, and mixed value types.

Index-based access

Retrieve, insert, replace, delete, or swap values by array index when processing JSON list data.

Nested objects and arrays

Access child JsonObject and JsonArray values to navigate and modify deeper JSON structures.

Search helpers

Search arrays of strings or arrays of objects to locate matching values without manually scanning every element.

Date and numeric handling

Parse date/time values and preserve exact numeric strings when JSON data contains values that must not be rounded or reformatted.

Emit JSON output

Produce compact or pretty JSON output after array data has been loaded, edited, searched, or built programmatically.

Common pattern: Use JsonObject to navigate named members and JSON paths, then use JsonArray to iterate or modify ordered lists found within the object tree. Retrieve nested objects or arrays as needed, update values by index, and emit the final JSON in compact or pretty form.

Object Creation

// (Dataflex programs use the 32-bit Chilkat ActiveX)
Handle hoJsonArray
Get Create(RefClass(cComChilkatJsonArray)) to hoJsonArray

Properties

DebugLogFilePath
Function ComDebugLogFilePath Returns String
Procedure Set ComDebugLogFilePath String value

If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.

Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.

Possible causes of hangs include:

  • A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
  • A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
  • An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.

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EmitCompact
Function ComEmitCompact Returns Boolean
Procedure Set ComEmitCompact Boolean value
Introduced in version 9.5.0.64

Controls whether emitted JSON is compact or pretty-formatted. If True, output contains no unnecessary whitespace and is emitted on a single line. If False, indentation and line breaks are added for readability. The default is True.

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EmitCrlf
Function ComEmitCrlf Returns Boolean
Procedure Set ComEmitCrlf Boolean value
Introduced in version 9.5.0.64

Controls line endings when pretty-formatted JSON is emitted. If True, line breaks use CRLF ( ); if False, they use LF ( ). The default is True.

Applies only to pretty output: When EmitCompact is True, the JSON is emitted on one line and this setting has no effect.

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FindStartIndex
Function ComFindStartIndex Returns Integer
Procedure Set ComFindStartIndex Integer value
Introduced in version 11.6.0

Specifies the zero-based array index at which FindString and FindObject begin searching. The default value is 0.

Iterating matches: After finding a match at index n, set this property to n + 1 before the next search to continue with later elements.

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LastBinaryResult
Function ComLastBinaryResult Returns Variant

This property is mainly used in SQL Server stored procedures to retrieve binary data from the last method call that returned binary data. It is only accessible if Chilkat.Global.KeepBinaryResult is set to True. This feature allows for the retrieval of large varbinary results in an SQL Server environment, which has restrictions on returning large data via method calls, though temp tables can handle binary properties.

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LastErrorHtml
Function ComLastErrorHtml Returns String

Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastErrorText
Function ComLastErrorText Returns String

Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastErrorXml
Function ComLastErrorXml Returns String

Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastMethodSuccess
Function ComLastMethodSuccess Returns Boolean
Procedure Set ComLastMethodSuccess Boolean value

Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: True means success, False means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.

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LastStringResult
Function ComLastStringResult Returns String

In SQL Server stored procedures, this property holds the string return value of the most recent method call that returns a string. It is accessible only when Chilkat.Global.KeepStringResult is set to TRUE. SQL Server has limitations on string lengths returned from methods and properties, but temp tables can be used to access large strings.

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LastStringResultLen
Function ComLastStringResultLen Returns Integer

The length, in characters, of the string contained in the LastStringResult property.

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Size
Function ComSize Returns Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the number of values currently contained in the JSON array. Array indexes therefore range from 0 through Size - 1.

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VerboseLogging
Function ComVerboseLogging Returns Boolean
Procedure Set ComVerboseLogging Boolean value

If set to True, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is False. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.

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Version
Function ComVersion Returns String

Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0"

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Methods

AddArrayAt
Function ComAddArrayAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a new, empty JSON array at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddArrayAt2
Function ComAddArrayAt2 Integer index cComChilkatJsonArray jarr Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 11.1.0

Inserts a new, empty JSON array at zero-based position index and updates jarr to reference the newly inserted array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Immediate editing: Because jarr references the inserted array, it can be populated directly without a separate ArrayAt lookup.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddBoolAt
Function ComAddBoolAt Integer index Boolean value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a new JSON boolean value at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddIntAt
Function ComAddIntAt Integer index Integer value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a new JSON integer value at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddNullAt
Function ComAddNullAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a JSON null value at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddNumberAt
Function ComAddNumberAt Integer index String numericStr Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a JSON number at zero-based position index. The numericStr argument supplies the exact JSON numeric text to store. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Exact numeric text: Use this method when lexical form or precision matters, for example 12345678901234567890, 1.2500, or scientific notation. The supplied text must be valid JSON number syntax; JSON does not permit NaN or infinity.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddObjectAt
Function ComAddObjectAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a new, empty JSON object at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddObjectAt2
Function ComAddObjectAt2 Integer index cComChilkatJsonObject json Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 11.1.0

Inserts a new, empty JSON object at zero-based position index and updates json to reference the newly inserted object.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Immediate editing: Because json references the inserted object, it can be populated directly without a separate ObjectAt lookup.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddObjectCopyAt
Function ComAddObjectCopyAt Integer index cComChilkatJsonObject jsonObj Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.82

Inserts an independent copy of jsonObj at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Copy semantics: The inserted object is copied rather than referenced. Later changes to the source jsonObj do not serve as edits to the inserted array value.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddStringAt
Function ComAddStringAt Integer index String value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Inserts a new JSON string value at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AddUIntAt
Function ComAddUIntAt Integer index Variant value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Inserts a new JSON unsigned integer value at zero-based position index. Existing elements at that position and after it are shifted one position toward the end of the array.

0Insert as the first array element.
-1Append as the last array element.
nInsert at zero-based position n.
Insert vs. replace: The Add*At methods insert a new array element. Use the corresponding Set*At method when replacing an existing element.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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AppendArrayItems
Function ComAppendArrayItems cComChilkatJsonArray jarr Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.82

Appends copies of all values from jarr to the end of this array, preserving their order.

Source is unchanged: The source array is not emptied or moved. This method is useful for concatenating JSON arrays, including arrays belonging to different JSON documents.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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ArrayAt
Function ComArrayAt Integer index Returns cComChilkatJsonArray
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the nested JSON array stored at zero-based position index.

Reference, not copy: The returned JsonArray refers to the existing nested array in the same JSON document. Changes made through the returned object modify that nested array.
Type requirement: The value at index must be an array. Use TypeAt when the value type is not already known.

Returns null on failure

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ArrayAt2
Function ComArrayAt2 Integer index cComChilkatJsonArray jarr Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 11.0.0

Updates jarr so that it references the nested JSON array stored at zero-based position index.

Reference, not copy: Changes made through jarr modify the existing nested array in the same JSON document.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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BoolAt
Function ComBoolAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the boolean value stored at zero-based position index.

Type-aware access: Use TypeAt when the JSON type at index is not already known.
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Clear
Procedure ComClear
Introduced in version 9.5.0.76

Removes all values from the array, leaving an empty JSON array ([]).

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DateAt
Function ComDateAt Integer index cComCkDateTime dateTime Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.73

Parses the date/time value at zero-based position index and loads the result into dateTime. Recognized forms include ISO 8601 timestamps (for example, 2009-11-04T19:55:41Z), RFC 822-style date/time strings, and Unix timestamp integers.

JSON has no native date type: Dates are application conventions represented as strings or numbers. These methods recognize common representations and convert them to Chilkat date/time objects.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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DeleteAt
Function ComDeleteAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Deletes the value at zero-based position index. Elements following the deleted value shift down by one position.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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DtAt
Function ComDtAt Integer index Boolean bLocal cComDtObj dt Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.73

Parses the date/time value at zero-based position index and loads the result into dt. If bLocal is True, the populated fields represent local time; if False, they represent UTC/GMT. Recognized forms include ISO 8601 timestamps, RFC 822-style date/time strings, and Unix timestamp integers.

JSON has no native date type: Dates are application conventions represented as strings or numbers. These methods recognize common representations and convert them to Chilkat date/time objects.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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Emit
Function ComEmit Returns String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Serializes this JSON array and returns the resulting JSON text.

Formatting: Set EmitCompact to choose compact versus pretty output. When pretty output is enabled, EmitCrlf selects CRLF or LF line endings.

Returns null on failure

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EmitSb
Function ComEmitSb cComChilkatStringBuilder sb Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.65

Serializes this JSON array into the supplied StringBuilder.

Formatting: Set EmitCompact to choose compact versus pretty output. When pretty output is enabled, EmitCrlf selects CRLF or LF line endings.
Large JSON: Using a StringBuilder can avoid returning a very large JSON document as a language-native string before passing it to another Chilkat method or writing it to a file.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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FindObject
Function ComFindObject String name String value Boolean caseSensitive Returns Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.73

Searches array elements that are JSON objects and returns the zero-based index of the first object whose direct member name has a value matching value. Returns -1 if no match is found. The value pattern may contain *, which matches zero or more characters. Set caseSensitive to control whether letter case must match.

Member name, not JSON path: name identifies a direct member of each object being tested; it is not a JSON path.
Search start: Searching begins at FindStartIndex, whose default is 0. To continue searching after a match, set FindStartIndex to the previous returned index plus 1.
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FindString
Function ComFindString String value Boolean caseSensitive Returns Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.73

Searches for the first string array element matching value and returns its zero-based index, or -1 if no match is found. The pattern may contain *, which matches zero or more characters. Set caseSensitive to control whether letter case must match.

Search start: Searching begins at FindStartIndex, whose default is 0. To continue searching after a match, set FindStartIndex to the previous returned index plus 1.
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IntAt
Function ComIntAt Integer index Returns Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the integer value stored at zero-based position index.

Type-aware access: Use TypeAt when the JSON type at index is not already known.
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IsNullAt
Function ComIsNullAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns True if the value at zero-based position index is the JSON value null; otherwise returns False.

JSON null: null is a distinct JSON value. It is not the same as an empty string, zero, false, an empty object, or an empty array.
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Load
Function ComLoad String jsonArray Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.64

Parses the JSON array text in jsonArray and loads it into this object. The input must represent a JSON array, beginning with [ and ending with ].

Important — loading detaches the array: Calling this method makes the JsonArray its own independent JSON document. If the object previously referenced an array nested inside another JSON document, that relationship is discarded. For this reason, call Load/LoadSb on a new JsonArray instance.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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LoadSb
Function ComLoadSb cComChilkatStringBuilder sb Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.64

Parses the JSON array contained in sb and loads it into this object. The input must represent a JSON array, beginning with [ and ending with ].

Important — loading detaches the array: Calling this method makes the JsonArray its own independent JSON document. If the object previously referenced an array nested inside another JSON document, that relationship is discarded. For this reason, call Load/LoadSb on a new JsonArray instance.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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ObjectAt
Function ComObjectAt Integer index Returns cComChilkatJsonObject
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the JSON object stored at zero-based position index.

Reference, not copy: The returned JsonObject refers to the existing object in the same JSON document. Changes made through the returned object modify that nested object.
Type requirement: The value at index must be an object. Use TypeAt when the value type is not already known.

Returns null on failure

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ObjectAt2
Function ComObjectAt2 Integer index cComChilkatJsonObject jsonObj Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 11.0.0

Updates jsonObj so that it references the JSON object stored at zero-based position index.

Reference, not copy: Changes made through jsonObj modify the existing object in the same JSON document.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetBoolAt
Function ComSetBoolAt Integer index Boolean value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with the specified JSON boolean value. The array length and the positions of other elements are unchanged.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetIntAt
Function ComSetIntAt Integer index Integer value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with the specified JSON integer value. The array length and the positions of other elements are unchanged.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetNullAt
Function ComSetNullAt Integer index Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with the JSON value null. The array length and the positions of other elements are unchanged.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetNumberAt
Function ComSetNumberAt Integer index String value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with a JSON number. The value argument supplies the exact JSON numeric text to store.

Exact numeric text: Use this method when lexical form or precision matters. The supplied text must be valid JSON number syntax; JSON does not permit NaN or infinity.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetStringAt
Function ComSetStringAt Integer index String value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with the specified JSON string value. The array length and the positions of other elements are unchanged.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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SetUIntAt
Function ComSetUIntAt Integer index Variant value Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Replaces the value at zero-based position index with the specified JSON unsigned integer value. The array length and the positions of other elements are unchanged.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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StringAt
Function ComStringAt Integer index Returns String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.56

Returns the string value stored at zero-based position index.

Type-aware access: Use TypeAt when the JSON type at index is not already known.

Returns null on failure

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Swap
Function ComSwap Integer index1 Integer index2 Returns Boolean
Introduced in version 9.5.0.76

Exchanges the values at zero-based positions index1 and index2. The array length does not change.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

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TypeAt
Function ComTypeAt Integer index Returns Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Returns an integer identifying the JSON type of the value at zero-based position index. Returns -1 if no value exists at that index.

1string
2number
3object
4array
5boolean
6null
Why use TypeAt: JSON arrays may contain mixed types. Checking the type first avoids choosing a type-specific accessor such as ObjectAt, ArrayAt, or IntAt for the wrong kind of value.
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UIntAt
Function ComUIntAt Integer index
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Returns the unsigned integer value stored at zero-based position index.

Type-aware access: Use TypeAt when the JSON type at index is not already known.
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