DecodeJSON.lua

function DecodeJSON(input)
    -- This function tries to convert the syntax of a JSON table into a Lua Table,
    -- and dumps it as a table using loadstring.
    local str = "return "
    while #input > 0 do
        local chunk = string.sub(input,1,1)
        input = string.sub(input,2)
        if chunk == [["]] then
            local quoteEnd = string.find(input,[["]])
            if not quoteEnd then
                print(input)
                error()
            end
            local key = string.sub(input,1,quoteEnd-1)
            input = string.sub(input,#key+2)
            if not tonumber(key) then
                -- See if we could use the string alone as a key for a table without brackets or quotes
                -- If not, then we need to put quotes around it.
                local noQuotes = pcall(function ()
                    assert(loadstring("t = {" .. key .." = 0}"))
                end)
                if not noQuotes then
                    key = [["]] .. key .. [["]]
                end
            end
            str = str .. key
        elseif chunk == "[" then
            str = str .. "{"
        elseif chunk == "]" then
            str = str .. "}"
        elseif chunk == ":" then
            str = str .. " = "
        else
            str = str .. chunk
        end
    end
    return loadstring(str)()
end