Converting "[['Main,0,0'],['Options',0,0']]" string to array javascript

[sosamv]

Hi all!, I'm creating a app with PHP and MySQL, the system administrator is capable of creating profiles, on each profile we create, we add a custom access menu (a javascript tree view menu), theres a <textarea> where the admin enters the tree array, example:

[

[''Main,0,

['sub1',0,0],
['sub2',0,0]

],

[''Manuals,0,0],
[''whatever,0,0],
[''Options,0,0]

]

I want to create a "preview" button that would open a popup with the preview of the tree.... the script of the pop-up to create the tree preview is:

*if i do this:

  var arr =[['SAP Introduction',0]];
  var arbol=new tree (arr, TREE_TPL);
 

It Works!

*if i catch the contents of the <textarea> like this:
alert(opener.th edata); //made this to test the input and displays [['SAP Introduction',0]]

  var arr =opener.thedata;
  var arbol=new tree (arr, TREE_TPL);
 

Did not work

How could i conver the string recieved into an array? it worked using a php variable like this:
[HTML]<script language="JavaS cript">
var test =[<?php echo $database->getTree($sessi on->username);?>];
var arbol=new tree (test, TREE_TPL);
</script>
[/HTML]
Hope you guys can help me!!

Cheers!

gsosa

[sosamv]

The user enter the array on a <textarea> on the following format:

[

[''Main,0,

['sub1',0,0],
['sub2',0,0]

],

[''Manuals,0,0],
[''whatever,0,0],
[''Options,0,0]

]

Theres a "preview" link that will open a pop-up that uses the users array (entered on the textarea) to create the tree with the following javascript code:

var arbol=new tree (info_from_the_ textarea, TREE_TPL);

but this is obviously a string and its not being detected as an array, what can i do? i tried adding square brackets [] on each side of the variable (that worked when pulling the tree from MySQL and PHP).

Please help me hehe.
Thanx in advance

[acoder]

There probably is a better solution, but eval should work.

[acoder]

Just noticed the double-posted thread on the same topic which I've merged

[sosamv]

There probably is a better solution, but eval should work.

I just tried eval() and didnt work I tried this

var input = new Array([string_with_the_array_structure]);

var input = new Array(eval(string_with_the_array_structure));

any other suggestions??

[gits]

hi ...

just try to use eval and remove the new Array instantiation ...

kind regards

[sosamv]

Great! now it worked!!

var arbol=new tree (eval(opener.thedata), TREE_TPL);

that was the answer =)

Thanx a lot guys!

[acoder]

You're welcome. Post again if you have any more questions which we'll make an attempt at answering.