serializing array of objects

Question

I'm populating an array nodevalues with objects. It looks like this:

nodevalues.push({id: this.id, left: left, right: right});

This line is inside a $.each() iterator which iterates over some li nodes and also calculates the left and right values.

So I have an array with several objects who all look the same:screen dump chrome console

Is it possible to serialize this array to an url string for database storage using jQuery.post()?

Calling $(nodevalues).serialize() returns nothing and $.param(nodevalues) returns undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined&undefined=undefined...

• Didier Ghys: Never do $(this).attr('id'). "this" is .each() is the DOM element -> this.id
• Thomas Clayson: @Didier G I'm not sure I understand your comment. $(this) in jquery is this[0] in javascript. You should ALWAYS use $(this).attr('id') in jquery.
• netiul: @DidierG. I think you're missing the point of my post. My question is how to serialize an array of objects. The code you mention works like it should.
• Didier Ghys: @ZacL. It's just a comment, not an answer to your problem, i'm aware of that.
• Didier Ghys: @ThomasClayson. Check this example

Answer 1

jQuery.param() might do what you want

var dataString = jQuery.param(nodevalues);

It seems that param only works on objects, not arrays.

If you wrap your array in an object it works fine:

var nodevalues = [];
nodevalues.push({id: "node1", left: 1, right: 20});
nodevalues.push({id: "node2", left: 2, right: 10});
nodevalues.push({id: "node3", left: 3, right: 30});
nodevalues.push({id: "node4", left: 4, right: 40});
var data = { data: nodevalues };
alert($.param(data));

http://jsfiddle.net/4NELt/

• netiul: Perfect! You just made my day!

Answer 2

You could use the stringify function from the JSON library.

Answer 3

you can supply the data as second argument to jquery.post()

jQuery.post( url [, data] [, success(data, textStatus, jqXHR)] [, dataType] );

jquery will serialize it for you.

• netiul: You mean like this? $.post('ajax/changenode.php', nodevalues); Results in: Form data: undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined undefined:undefined Doesn't do the job!