Passing array values to js

Question

So current setup is as following:

PHP:data.php

<?php
$method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'];
$data = array(
 "16508",
 "16498",
 "16506" 
);
if ($method === "GET") { 
 echo json_encode($data);
}
?>

JS:

$.get("./page_asset/data.php").then(function(returned) {
 data = JSON.parse(returned); 
}; 

Now, how do I parse the data without getting the specific php page (as I don't want to rely on the specific php address such as "/page-asset/data.php").

For example:

PHP:

<?php
 $data = array(
 "16508",
 "16498",
 "16506" 
 ); 
?>

I simply want to pass these values to js without relying on the page url.

• void: What do you mean pass these values to js without relying on the page url? Why don't you just hardcode these values then?
• Steve Kim: Well, these values are dynamically generated. :P

Answer 1

You can use PHP to create the Javascript in the original page. json_encode() can be used to convert a PHP value to the analogous JS literal.

<?php
 $data = array(
 "16508",
 "16498",
 "16506" 
 ); 
?>
<script>
var data = <?php echo json_encode($data); ?>;
</script>

• Steve Kim: This makes sense. And I can just use the variable data in js. Thanks! I will give it a try! =)
• Steve Kim: Just a quick question. Is there a way to make the values not visible in the element inspect? the echo is showing all the values from the frontend and was wondering if there is a way to hide the values.
• Barmar: Nope. The whole point was to put it into the Javascript, and everything in Javascript is visible in the client.
• Barmar: If you want to hide the data, you have to keep it on the server, and send a request to the server.
• Barmar: Your question said you didn't want to send an AJAX request to the server.

Answer 2

You can use a hidden field:

<input id="my-data" type="hidden" value='<?php echo json_encode($data)?>' />

And then you can parse the input value from javascript:

var data = $.parseJSON($('#my-data').val());

• Barmar: You should use single quotes around the value, because JSON uses double quotes around strings.