Convert String to Array in JavaScript

Question

I have a PHP String like this:

$string = 'a => 1 , b => 2 , c => 3 , d => 4';

which I have built from data from a database, where each "x => y" represents an associative relationship between x and y.

I am then transferring this string to the html document (JQuery) and attempting to make an array out of it in JavaScript, so that I may process on the client side.

QUESTION:

Is it possible to create a JavaScript Array out of a string?
For example I need to be able to retrieve the values in the array by calling 'alert(array["c"]);' or something similar.

NOTE - feel free to alter the semantics of the above string ($string) as necessary.

Any help appreciated guys....

• Pointy: I think that instead of encoding the array contents in your own format like that, you should use JSON.
• Dogbert: Are you starting with a PHP string like that, or do you have an array in your PHP code that you are then converting to that string?
• Kwebble: I agree, use JSON. Create a map in PHP of the key/value pairs and use json_encode() to transform it.

Answer 1

You should look into JSON. PHP has functions to write JSON and javascript can decode such JSON objects and create native objects

• Björn: +1, don't try and resolve the effect, resolve the cause instead.

Answer 2

PHP Code

(for instance, a file, like array.php):

$array=array(
 'a'=>'I am an A',
 'param2_customname'=>$_POST['param2'],
 'param1'=>$_POST['param1']
);
echo json_encode($array);

---

jQuery code:

$.post('array.php', {'param1': 'lol', 'param2': 'helloworld'}, function(d){
 alert(d.a);
 alert(d.param2_customname);
 alert(d.param1);
},'json');

You can use this for arrays, remember the 'json' tag at the end of the request everytime.

• Donal.Lynch.Msc: How do I then alert the entire contents of d?
• Ryan Casas: Concatenating, I guess: alert(d.a+d.param2_customname+d.param1)

Answer 3

You can use the split() Method in javascript :

http://www.w3schools.com/jsref/jsref_split.asp

Answer 4

I would do this

<?php
$string = "a => 1, b => 2";
$arr1 = explode(",",$string);
$arr2 = array();
foreach ($arr1 as $str) {
 $arr3 = explode("=>", $str);
 $arr2[trim($arr3[0])] = trim($arr3[1]);
}
?>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
 var myLetters = new Array();
 <?php foreach($arr2 as $letter => $number): ?>
 myLetters['<?php echo $letter; ?>'] = "<?php echo $number; ?>";
 <?php endforeach; ?>
});
</script>

which will output this

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
 var myLetters = new Array();
 myLetters['a'] = "1";
 myLetters['b'] = "2";
 });
</script>