How to pass a javascript array to php file

[sarega]

Hi,

<?
#cd.php
echo "<input type='text' name='text1' id='text1' onchange=\"return_value()"\ /><br></br>";
?>
 

Javascript file

var xmlHttp;
 function return_value() {
 var x=document.getElementById('text1').value;
 xmlHttp = GetXmlHttpObject();
 if(xmlHttp == null) {
 alert("Your browser does not support ajax");
 return;
 }
 var url="ab.php";
 url=url+"?x="+x;
 xmlHttp.open("GET",url,true);
  xmlHttp.send(null);
 xmlHttp.onreadystatechange = StateChanged;
 function StateChanged() {
 if(xmlHttp.readyState == 4) {
 var y=new Array();
y= xmlHttp.responseText;
 }
 }

the file ab.php returns an array to the javascript file, how can i pass this array 'y' to the php cd.php file

[Dormilich]

I guess you have to use a serializer for that. JSON and WDDX are the ones I've heard of (both work in Javascript and PHP)

in the javascript code line 16 is unnecessary, your array (y) will be replaced by the return string (responseText).

[sarega]

ok...can you just give an example of how to serialize it??

[Dormilich]

so far I've only done WDDX. JSON might be more suitable for you. explanations and example you can find here:

• PHP: JSON - Manual
• JSON – MDC (Javascript)

[sarega]

ok will try that now...thank you

[sarega]

for serializing at the javascript and deserializing at the php side, can both the javascript n php be in different files??

[Dormilich]

@sarega
yes...???

PHP is run on the server, JS in the browser, that's two different locations. so why would you have them in the same file? (besides the fact that serialization originates from transfering complex data between system)

[acoder]

Instead of trying to pass an array, pass something that the server-side script will recognise, e.g. "val=1&val=2&val=3" (rather like how checked checkbox values are passed).

[sarega]

I cannot reload the page, if I did then the values that are entered in the text boxes will be lost...

[Dormilich]

@sarega
that's just a matter of correctly setting the text boxes' default values.

[sarega]

But the value in the text box will not be the same every time the form is submitted for the user

[Dormilich]

I don't see the problem there.

[acoder]

Yes, no problem there. Either use Ajax, or use the new submitted values to set the text box values.