Uncaught Syntax Error with Javascript and Php Strings

Question

I have a php webpage that displays a calendar with specific dates displayed on it.

The dates are stored in a MySql database.

At the beginning of the webpage, I do the following:

<?php
//Load in database
$query = "SELECT ID, Full_Name, Arrival_Date, Departure_Date FROM bookings ORDER BY Arrival_Date";
if ($result = $dbc->query($query)) //Retrieve all the booking details
{
 $numrows = $result-> num_rows;
 $id_array;
 $name_array;
 $arrival_array;
 $departure_array;
 for ($count = 0; $count < $numrows; $count++)
 {
 $row = $result->fetch_assoc();
 $id_array[$count] = $row['ID'];
 $name_array[$count] = $row['Full_Name'];
 $arrival_array[$count] = $row['Arrival_Date'];
 $departure_array[$count] = strval($row['Departure_Date']);
 }
}
else
{
 //Error
}
?>

ID is a number Full_Name is a string Arrival_Date and Departure_Date are dates (YYYY-MM-DD)

The calendar is a javascript object therefore I need to get the booking information into my javascript function to be able to use it.

This is how I am trying to do that:

<script type="text/javascript">
 var array_ID = [<?php echo implode(",",$id_array); ?>];
 var array_name = [<?php echo implode(",",$name_array); ?>];
 var array_arrival = [<?php echo implode(",",$arrival_array); ?>]; 
 var array_departure = [<?php echo implode(",",$departure_array); ?>]; 
 var booking_numbers = <?php echo $numrows; ?>;
</script>

However, I am getting an error 'Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected Identifier' on the line:

var array_name = [<?php echo implode(",",$name_array); ?>];

I suspect this is because some of the names have spaces in as the array is coming up as

var array_name = [Pippa,Pippa Smith,Pippa Smith];

When the php values are put in.

So here's my question. How can I tell javascript to treat those inputs as a string.

And I'm aware this might be a terrible way of combining javascript and php, so if anyone has any better suggestions, I'll happily take them!

• bfavaretto: Please show us the generated js code. If the values in $name_array are strings, you're at least missing quotes around them.
• HILARUDEEN S ALLAUDEEN: @Pippa Rose Smith, Can you look following URL? stackoverflow.com/questions/15090128/…

Answer 1

1) one way around is using implode in php and spliting it in javasciript using split..

best way though is to use echo json_encode($id_array) in php so that it converts the array into javascript object

• Steve Hill: Upvoted, json_encode is the way to go here. You're asking for a world of hurt to try to encode strings from PHP into JavaScript objects any other way, given that the functionality is already a) available easily and b) well tested.
• Pippa Rose Smith: Ok, so do you mean var array_ID = [<?php echo json_encode($id_array); ?>]

Answer 2

You have to mark string literals for javascript by putting them between quotes.

var array_name = ["Pippa","Pippa Smith","Pippa Smith"];

Use json_encode() to get a valid javascript object literal from your php value(s).

---

on a side-note: why do you change the structure of the data from

[1] x y z
[2] X Y Z

to

 [1] [2]
 x X
 y Y
 z Z

i.e. why do you have those separate variables array_ID, array_name, array_arrival, array_departure instead of one array holding all the information?