JsonHelper.py

import urllib2, json, urllib, os

def get_remote_json(url):
    """Attempts to retrieve a json document from the given URL.

    :type url: str
    :rtype: dict
    """
    req = urllib2.Request(url, headers={'User-Agent' : "Magic Browser"})
    r = urllib2.urlopen(req)
    ret = json.loads(r.read())
    return ret


def get_json_value(json_obj, key):
    """Gets the value of the given Json key.
    Key should be in the form <parent>[/<child>]* if not in the root of the tree.

    :type json_obj: dict
    :type key: str
    :rtype: dict | list | str | int | long | float | True | False | None
    """
    value = json_obj
    splitted = key.split('/')
    for subkey in splitted:
        value = value[subkey]
    return value


def save_remote_json_to_path(url, path):
    """Attempts to retrieve a json document from the given URL and save it to the given path.

    :type url: str
    :type path: str
    :rtype: bool
    """
    if os.path.exists(path):
        os.remove(path)
    req = urllib2.Request(url, headers={'User-Agent': "Magic Browser"})
    r = urllib2.urlopen(req)
    with open(path, 'w') as f:
        f.write(r.read())
    return os.path.exists(path)