PHP Convert array element to string prints "Array"

Question

I query a database to obtain an array of results.

$usersArray = $db->getAllUsers();  // db-Query

If I print out the array's var_dump, its content is structured in form of other arrays:

array(9) { [0]=> **array**(1) { ["column"]=> string(20) "..." } [1]=> **array**(1) { ["column"] (remaining 8 are the same).

Now I need these values (which are correct, so far) to be casted as strings, so that:

array(9) { [0]=> **string**(1) { ["column"]=> string(20) "..." } [1]=> **string**(1) { ["column"] ....

There are several answers to this here and elsewhere, such as

-array_map: here I can actually cast the content as string, but- it prints "Array" instead the value. It tried then getting the content via

$users = array_map('strval',implode( $usersArray));
$users = array_map('strval', print_r($usersArray));

Neither of those worked.

Is there a method through which I could cast the content as string and get the content ? Or should I rewrite the query to format the result as strings ?

Are you trying to cast array to string? serialize($usersArray); — Daan
– Daan, Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 15:39
Why can't you just get the values like this? $usersArray[0]['column'] ? Why are you trying to cast as string? — Royalty
– Royalty, Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 15:40
And what do you mean print_r() and implode() doesn't work? Show us how you've tried using these functions. — Daan
– Daan, Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 15:40
$users = implode($usersArray); (didn't work). $users = print_r($usersArray); didn't work either.. — Roman
– Roman, Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 15:42
@Romana You using them both wrong. Implode requires two parameters. And you can't assign print_r to a variable. — Daan
– Daan, Commented Jan 27, 2015 at 15:45

David Triebe · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-27 16:03:46Z

1

You have a wrong understanding of types or at least this:

array(9) { [0]=> **string**(1) { ["column"]=> string(20) "..." } [1]=> **string**(1) { ["column"] ....

doesn't make any sense. You believe you want elements to be of type string but yet contain array data which really doesn't work. What you actually want is a different array structure but you are heading in the wrong direction for that.

You basically have two options:

Modify the getAllUsers() method in a way that returns your data in a structure you actually need.
Modify the data after you have received it. Obviously there's no builtin function convert_data_to_how_i_want_them() - so a basic understanding of arrays is required. Basically you create a new array and copy those values you need to the position you need them at.

Something like this should do the trick in this case:

$out = array();
foreach($in as => $value) {
    $out[] = $value['column'];
}

answered Jan 27, 2015 at 16:03

David Triebe

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1 Comment

Roman Over a year ago

Good explanation- you also pointed correctly out the options. I implemented the second version. Thanks!

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