Javascript array serialize function for use in php

Question

I have this javascript function which converts a javascript array into a serialized string for use in php as array.

function js_array_serialize(a) {
 var a_php = "";
 var total = 0;
 for (var key in a) {
 ++ total;
 a_php = a_php + "s:" + 
 String(key).length + ":\"" + String(key) + "\";s:" + 
 String(a[key]).length + ":\"" + String(a[key]) + "\";";
 }
 a_php = "a:" + total + ":{" + a_php + "}";
 return a_php;
}

The function above does the work for associative array. But I have a multi-dimensional array and something must be done in the for loop, i can think of an other nested loop.

My javascript array is of this structure:

var a = {
 'index': {
 'subindex1': 'default',
 'subindex2': 'default'
 },
 'index2': {
 'subindex1': 'default',
 'subindex2': 'default'
 }
};

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

• Rick Kuipers: Have you tried turning the array into JSON, that way both PHP and javascript can use it with ease.
• user558134: It's ok via php, I just need to do it via client side without the use of ajax or php to generate the serialized string.

Answer 1

You seem to be reinventing the JSON wheel. How about this:

function js_array_serialize(a) {
 return JSON.stringify(a);
}

The JSON.stringify function is natively built-in modern browsers. And if you want to support legacy browsers simply include the json2.js script to your page.

Never use string concatenations to build JSON. There are much more cases that you will need to handle: things like properly escaping the values. Think for example if the value contains quotes? It will break your serialization algorithm.

• JonnyReeves: Now would be a good time to point the asker to an article about Data Exchange Formats
• user558134: But that doesn't serialize the string as php function serialize($a).
• Darin Dimitrov: @user558134, you could use json_encode and json_decode in PHP.
• user558134: I know, I was thinking not to use ajax
• Darin Dimitrov: @user558134, JSON doesn't mean AJAX at all. JSON is a standard and interoperable data exchange format which could allow you to communicate data between different systems (in your case that is javascript and PHP).