Trying to remember a function's name

Hi, I am drawing a total blank on this... I'm sure that I've seen it in
javascript or PHP... I'm looking for a function that takes a variable
(such as an array) and reduces it to a string which can be
reconstituted. I remember that it does slightly more work than needed
because all the types were specifically indicated even when they were
self evident, but I can't remember the function's name. There is some
unencoding function to go in reverse.

Would someone help me out and name the function I'm thinking of,
please.

Thanks,
Csaba Gabor

On 27 Jun 2006 15:45:59 -0700, "Csaba Gabor" <danswer@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I am drawing a total blank on this... I'm sure that I've seen it in
>javascript or PHP... I'm looking for a function that takes a variable
>(such as an array) and reduces it to a string which can be
>reconstituted.[/color]

serialize.

--
Andy Hassall :: andy@andyh.co.uk :: http://www.andyh.co.uk
http://www.andyhsoftware.co.uk/space :: disk and FTP usage analysis tool

"Csaba Gabor" <danswer@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1151448359.726025.205270@j72g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com:
[color=blue]
> Hi, I am drawing a total blank on this... I'm sure that I've seen it
> in javascript or PHP... I'm looking for a function that takes a
> variable (such as an array) and reduces it to a string which can be
> reconstituted. I remember that it does slightly more work than
> needed because all the types were specifically indicated even when
> they were self evident, but I can't remember the function's name.
> There is some unencoding function to go in reverse.
>
> Would someone help me out and name the function I'm thinking of,
> please.[/color]

implode() and explode (PHP 3, 4 and 5)

--
Stan McCann, "Uncle Pirate" http://stanmccann.us/
Implementing negative score for googlegroup postings, see
http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html A zest for living must include a
willingness to die. - R.A. Heinlein

Andy Hassall wrote:[color=blue]
> On 27 Jun 2006 15:45:59 -0700, "Csaba Gabor" <danswer@gmail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >I am drawing a total blank on this... I'm sure that I've seen it in
> >javascript or PHP... I'm looking for a function that takes a variable
> >(such as an array) and reduces it to a string which can be
> >reconstituted.[/color]
>
> serialize.[/color]

Yep, that's it. Thanks very much,
Csaba Gabor from Vienna