Bitcoind returns error “JSON value is not an array as expected”, using easybitcoin.php to call sendmany() #13870

I am creating a php script to use the sendmany() call to bitcoind. After some database calisthenics involving hitting three tables for permissions, checking user privileges and ensuring the send amounts are correct and there are enough bitcoins on the server, I wind up with the following array to send bitcoins to:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [coinadd] => mteCLqiEK7v5d3YbDQtxj8oKcdhtHRtXcw
            [amount] => 0.21445033
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [coinadd] => 2N5aa9FBxGf5xmeLiDz1yJVNYdsfK9GUWWe
            [amount] => 0.02588679
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [coinadd] => 2Muf4WEzFqNviURTdvkGSswHyrgMzR8optK
            [amount] => 0.02601681
        )

)

The below foreach generates the array below that.

foreach($paydata as $pay){
	$mrules = getmerchrules($pay['merchant_id']);
	$coinadd = get_merch_address_to_send_to($pay['merchant_id']);
	if($mrules['autopay'] == 'yes'){
		if($pay['balance'] > $mrules['minpay']){
			if($coinadd !== ''){
				$paynow[$coinadd['coinadd']] = $pay['balance'];
			}
		}
	}
}

Array
(
    [mteCLqiEK7v5d3YbDQtxj8oKcdhtHRtXcw] => 0.21445033
    [2N5aa9FBxGf5xmeLiDz1yJVNYdsfK9GUWWe] => 0.02588679
    [2Muf4WEzFqNviURTdvkGSswHyrgMzR8optK] => 0.02601681
)

So far so good.

Now on to the RPC call

here's the request echoed from the actual easybitcoin curl call. --

echo "here's the request -- \n".$request."\n"; <-- line 132 easybitcoin.php

{"method":"sendmany","params":["","{\"mteCLqiEK7v5d3YbDQtxj8oKcdhtHRtXcw\":\"0.24020698\",\"2N5aa9FBxGf5xmeLiDz1yJVNYdsfK9GUWWe\":\"0.02588679\",\"2Muf4WEzFqNviURTdvkGSswHyrgMzR8optK\":\"0.02601681\"}",1],"id":4}

EDIT: Some fancy echoing gets me this string which is what is actually sent to the bitcoind server through curl. This string also passes the jsonlint.com test.

Array
(
    [19913] => 1
    [52] => 1
    [68] => 10
    [10023] => Array
        (
            [0] => Content-type: application/json
        )

    [47] => 1
    [10015] => {"method":"sendmany","params":["","{\"mteCLqiEK7v5d3YbDQtxj8oKcdhtHRtXcw\":\"0.24020698\",\"2N5aa9FBxGf5xmeLiDz1yJVNYdsfK9GUWWe\":\"0.02588679\",\"2Muf4WEzFqNviURTdvkGSswHyrgMzR8optK\":\"0.02601681\"}",1],"id":4}
)

EDIT: STILL NO CHANGE

Array
(
    [result] => 
    [error] => Array
        (
            [code] => -1
            [message] => JSON value is not an object as expected
        )

    [id] => 4
)

Aaaand Kablooie! I get the following error from Bitcoind:

"JSON value is not an array as expected"

If I turn the JSON string into an object, then the error switches to

"JSON value is not an object as expected".

This snippet of code is from the library's __call method in easybitcoin.php

// If no parameters are passed, this will be an empty array
$params = array_values($params);

...

// Build the request, it's ok that params might have any empty array
$request = json_encode(array(
    'method' => $method,
    'params' => $params,
    'id'     => $this->id
));

Other than slitting my wrists and offering my blood to the programming gods, I've done everything I can think of. Can anyone spot what I am doing wrong here?

For anyone wondering, this command worked on ./bitcoin-cli

./bitcoin-cli sendmany "" "{\"mteCLqiEK7v5d3YbDQtxj8oKcdhtHRtXcw\":0.21445033, \"2N5aa9FBxGf5xmeLiDz1yJVNYdsfK9GUWWe\":0.02588679, \"2Muf4WEzFqNviURTdvkGSswHyrgMzR8optK\":0.02601681}" 1

Bitcoind response is a txid number

f4c443881a40054efbd5c3064268a91253f4cb2f7ba8caca96878d0dec46d774

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Hi Marco, I'm sorry, my concern is if there is something in the bitcoind server itself that may be rejecting the json command. I'm pretty sure that the json is properly formatted. And I am wondering if there is anthing wrong with the format that the bitcoind server returns this error?

Edit: My apologies for making this look to be about php. Just trying to provide as much info as possible.

As you mentioned this works with bitcoin-cli, as well as with python:

https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/ad552a54c56a420be84b47154882c3e4c76f9bdd/test/functional/wallet_basic.py#L209

So the issue here is really in your php code or with php in general.

Aaaand you would be correct. I found the problem. And it was in php. Again, I was not thinking it was in bitcoind, but I was at wits end trying to figure it out. I really appreciate the time you took to answer me. And even though it has nothing to do with you. But I do appreciate it. Thank you.