How do you encode a two dimensional PHP array as a JSON array to be decoded within JavaScript?

Question

I have an array of arrays in php called $searchResults. Each array within $searchResults is formatted as such:

array('name' => <name> , 'value' => <value>)

I want to encode this two dimension array as a JSON array and pass it back to my JavaScript. How can I encode this array in PHP such that I can decode it in JavaScript and then iterate through each array by key? Is this even possible? I have found examples of encoding multidimensional arrays that don't use the <key> => <value> syntax but I am not really sure if these are applicable. An example would be here. Thanks!

Can you use json_encode? IE: printf( "<script>var jsvar = %s;</script>", json_encode( $searchResults ) ); — pp19dd
– pp19dd, Commented Sep 18, 2013 at 14:46

BlitZ · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-18 15:02:37Z

1

I see two ways:

1) Pass array in current state:

<?php
$array = [
    [ 'name' => 'x' , 'value' => 1 ],
    [ 'name' => 'y' , 'value' => 2 ],
    [ 'name' => 'z' , 'value' => 3 ]
];
?>

<script type="text/javascript">
var php_json = <?php echo json_encode($array); ?>;

for(var i = 0; i < php_json.length; i++){
    console.log(php_json[i]);
}
</script>

2) Convert to key-value pairs and pass:

<?php
$array = [
    [ 'name' => 'x' , 'value' => 1 ],
    [ 'name' => 'y' , 'value' => 2 ],
    [ 'name' => 'z' , 'value' => 3 ]
];

$buffer = [];

foreach($array as &$nested){
    $buffer[$nested['name']] = $nested['value'];
}
?>

<script type="text/javascript">
var php_json = <?php echo json_encode($buffer); ?>;

for(var key in php_json){
     console.log(key, php_json[key]);
     //       key ^      ^ value
}
</script>

You can easily pass any simple php data structure to javascript via using json_encode() function.

edited Sep 18, 2013 at 15:02

answered Sep 18, 2013 at 14:56

BlitZ

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Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 19:24:28Z

0

I use this in my templates:

<script>window.bootstrapped_data = <?php echo json_encode($my_js_vars); ?>;</script>

Rendered output will look like this:

<script>window.bootstrapped_data = {"name":"<name>","value":"<value"};</script>

Replace $my_js_vars with your variable name, and called the JavaScript variable whatever you want. You can then access this variable normally in JavaScript.

Don't let json_encode throw you off, PHP will render a valid JavaScript object.

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 19:24

CommunityBot

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answered Sep 18, 2013 at 14:49

Brandon - Free Palestine

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