Trouble with PHP and Angular $http ajax

Question

So user uses a datepicker input which the value of is what is sent via ajax to the PHP which will return an array of objects containing $anoArray below.

First Problem: ajax will only succeed using jquery; using angular $http returns "DATA WASNT AN INT" as seen below ( this is even when setting the headers as many have posted before)... ultimately I would like to use the native angular $http service instead. WHAT I HAVE BELOW DOES RETURN DATA but leaves me with the Second Problem.

Second Problem: I wish to do various things such as sort objects and set certain key:value values as variables once the data is returned but I cannot seem to get the data returned in a format capable of this. Note* I am fairly new to programming (six months self taught) and any help is appreciated.

What should be returned:

[
{"nameF":"harry","nameL":"chicken","start":"1456790450","end":"1456790490","location":"Station 1","comments":"these are comments"},
{"nameF":"johnny","nameL":"appleseed","start":"1456790450","end":"1456790490","location":"Station 1","comments":"these are comments"}
]

My angular Controller:

app.controller('scheduleController', ['$scope', '$window', function($scope, $window) {
    $scope.shifts = [];
    $scope.shiftAjax = function(){
        var x = $('#scheduleDate').val();
        $.ajax({
            method: 'post',
            url: 'getSchedule.php',
            data: {scheduleDate: x},    
        })
        .done(function(response){
$scope.shifts = response;
console.log(response);

        });
    }
}]);

The console log shows the data as I expect it but I cannot use it as a javascript object for iteration and if change the .done to: $scope.shifts = $scope.shifts = JSON.parse(response); then I just get a console of [object Object] and I still cannot iterate or get key:values out of it.

PHP post url (getSchedule.php):

<?php
  $startTime = strtotime($_POST['scheduleDate']);
  include_once('../../classes/scheduler.php');
  if(is_int($startTime)){

    $var = new scheduler; //SENT TO classes/scheduler.php
    $jsonArray = $var->getSchedule($startTime); 

  }else{
    echo "DATA WASNT AN INT";
  };?>

Answer 1

HOURS ONLINE led me to this solution ... finally:

Controller:

app.controller('scheduleController', ['$scope', '$window', '$http', function($scope, $window, $http) {
    $scope.shifts = [];
    $scope.shiftAjax = function(){
        $http({
            url: 'getSchedule.php',
            method: 'POST',
            data: $.param({'scheduleDate': $scope.input}),
            headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
        })
        .then( function(response) {
            $scope.result = response.data;
        }, function () {
            console.log('ERROR: ANGULAR AJAX FAILED');
        });
    }
}]);

The solution on this part was to set the $.param correctly along with headers.

PHP Post url (getSchedule.php):

<?php
  $data = $_POST['scheduleDate'];
  $startTime = strtotime($data);
  include_once('scheduler.php');
  if(is_int($startTime)){
    $var = new scheduler;
    $jsonArray = $var->getSchedule($startTime);
  }else{
    echo " DATA WASNT AN INT";
  };
?>

Not sure why this is, but placing the $_POST in a separate variable before calling strtotime() on it was the kicker that solved the issue.

Now what is returned is:

[
0:{"nameF":"harry","nameL":"chicken","start":"1456790450","end":"1456790490","location":"Station 1","comments":"these are comments"},
    1:{"nameF":"johnny","nameL":"appleseed","start":"1456790450","end":"1456790490","location":"Station 1","comments":"these are comments"}
]

Now I can access the objects returned by using dot notation in the .then for example:

 $scope.result[0].start //which returns 1456790450