title: How to get data from a json file?
body: <p>I have been trying to use json and ajax with jquery and I am running in to some trouble. I am trying to get data from a json file to display on my page.</p>
  
  <p>At the moment I am just trying to send it to the console but I am getting null in the console. I am not sure what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong so I was just wondering if I could get some pointers.</p>
  
  <p>This is what I have for the request</p>
  
  <pre><code>$(document).ready(function() {
  var json = (function () {
  var json = null;
  $.ajax({
      'async': false,
      'global': false,
      'url': 'js/refs.json',
      'dataType': "json",
      'success': function (refs) {
          json = refs;
      }
  });
  return json;
  })(); 
  console.log(json);
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This is what is in refs.json</p>
  
  <pre><code>var refs = {
  "referee": [
          {
              "name": "Ellie",
              "company": "University",
              "position": "Lecturer",
              "address": "",
              "phone": "5750",
              "email": "ellie@ac.uk",
              "type": "Education"
          },
          {
              "name": "Matthew",
              "company": "",
              "position": "",
              "address": "23 High Street",
              "phone": " 962",
              "email": "matthew@aaa.com",
              "type": "Character"
          }
      ],
  "project": [
          {
              "tab": "Dissertation",
              "title": "Can technology in the home be used to enhance learning of numeracy, in conjunction with the nantional curriculum",
              "yr": "2013",
              "link": [
                  {
                      "name": "Artefact",
                      "links": "fypc",
                      "size": "",
                      "misc": ""
                  }
                  ],
              "docs": [
                  {"type": "doc",
                  "links": "fyp.docx",
                  "size" :"3.78MB",
                  },
                  {"type": "pdf",
                  "links": "fyp.pdf",
                  "size" :"1.76MB",
                  }
                  ],
              "purpose": "School - Anglia Ruskin University",
              "grade": "Not yet awarded",
              "sshot": "fypc.png"
          },
          {
              "tab": "Network and IT Operations",
              "title": "Virtual inter-office network with firewall. (Built using PacketTracer 5.3.3)",
              "yr": "2013",
              "link": [
                  {
                      "name": "Serial Cable Connection Version",
                      "links": "",
                      "size": "204KB",
                      "misc": "(Submitted version)"
                  },
                  {
                      "name": "Frame Relay Version",
                      "links": "",
                      "size": "129KB",
                      "misc": ""
                  },
                  {
                      "name": "Packet Tracer 5.3.3 Download",
                      "links": "",
                      "size": "48.2MB",
                      "misc": "(.zip)"
                  }
              ],
              "docs": [
                  {
                      "type": "doc",
                      "links": "nio.docx",
                      "size" :"223KB",
                  },
                  {
                      "type": "pdf",
                      "links": "nio.pdf",
                      "size" :"943.KB",
                  }
                  ],
              "purpose": "School - Anglia Ruskin University",
              "grade": "Not yet awarded",
              "sshot": "nio1.png"
          }
      ]
  };
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>As I say, the response from the console using console.log is null. I can't see where I am going right or wrong. The request is a snippet I got from a post on here (<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2177548/load-json-into-variable">load json into variable</a>)</p>
  
  <p>Any pointers would be much appreciated</p>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance</p>