PHP To Javascript Array?

Question

I have googled and looked at SO for a while now and can't seem to figure this out. The only requirement Im trying to meet is to return a properly formatted javascript array that contains the results of the sql statement.

I.E.

Given a query:

SELECT NUMBERS FROM TABLE 

And results:

NUMBERS
1
2
3

I would like to eventually get back an array like so

["1","2","3"]

Please help me understand where I am going wrong

Here is my php code

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli("local.host.com", "user", "pass", "db");
$sql = "SELECT DISTINCT NAME FROM table";
$result = $mysqli->query($sql);
while($row = $result->fetch_array())
{
 $rows[] = $row['NAME'];
}
echo(json_encode($rows));
$result->close();
/* close connection */
$mysqli->close();
?>

Here is my javascript:

 function GetCards()
{
 var cardarray = new Array();
 //alert('test');
 $.getJSON('getcardlist.php', function(data)
 {
 for(var i=0;i<data.length;i++)
 {
 cardarray.push(data[i]);
 }
 //return cardarray;
 });
 return cardarray;
}

EDIT:

Little more information, Im trying to setup an autocomplete list for jquery ui, this is my setup for the autocomplete widget.

var list = GetCards();
$( "#name" ).autocomplete({
source: list,
minLength: 2

And this is the error Im getting from chrome console

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'label' of null 

• Yogesh Suthar: So what is the problem? What errors you get?
• hjpotter92: Your code has no reference to label.
• Pseudonym: ? the autocomplete uses the var list as a source, list is set by GetCards which calls the php page.
• Pseudonym: Im unsure what else I can post
• novalagung: check on your js console. what your ajax returning for?

Answer 1

GetCards is returning an empty array -- which is what you're passing on to the Autocomplete widget -- and causing the widget to throw up the TypeError exception. To pass on the populated array, move the code that instantiates Autocomplete into your getJSON success callback (I'm not sure you even need to loop through data -- unless you need to actually transform its contents in some way):

$.getJSON( 'getcardlist.php', function( data ) {
 $( "#name" ).autocomplete( {
 source: data,
 minLength: 2
 } );
} );

Alternatively, consider using Autocomplete's shorthand for loading directly from the data feed (see passing source as a string). However, this approach may require some additional work on the server-side to filter down the list as the user types -- if you want that behavior.

• Pseudonym: I've moved pass this a while ago but this is a good answer with relevant information.

Answer 2

you have to use $.each to get the data

$.getJSON('getcardlist.php', function(data)
{
 $.each(data, function(key, val) {
 cardarray.push(val);
 });
 //return cardarray;
});

• Yogesh Suthar: The code you have posted is not related with your error. Post relevant code.