How to send an Array via URL and extract it in PHP?

Question

Here is a script.

It provides some select inputs which allow picking from various types of options. When the submit button is pressed it records the data in mats and pushes the mats array into an array called materialsUsed. Everytime the submit button is clicked a new array is added in materialsUsed.

I want to know how to send the materialsUsed array through a URL to php to extract the data there and insert it into an array created in PHP.

var mats = [name= "", thick= "", size= "", quantity= 0, price= 0];
mats.name = document.getElementById("mat").options[document.getElementById("mat").selectedIndex].value;
mats.thick = document.getElementById("thick").options[document.getElementById("thick").selectedIndex].value;
mats.size = document.getElementById("size").options[document.getElementById("size").selectedIndex].value;
mats.price = parseFloat($('#priceto').val()).toFixed(2);
mats.quantity = parseInt($('#quant').val());
materialsUsed.push(mats);

You're using an array as an object, and not even doing it so well, i must say. Try reading about [the difference between arrays and objects](http://davidwalsh.name/javascript-arrays-brackets-braces) in JS. — Scimonster, Jul 27 '15 at 18:33
Apart from the JavaScript being wrong, passing JSON directly via URL params may lead to trouble if your data is large, as GET/PUT/etc. [are limited in size](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/417142/what-is-the-maximum-length-of-a-url-in-different-browsers). You really should use POST for this. — Yanick Rochon, Jul 27 '15 at 18:55

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 27 '15 at 18:43

If you would like to simply load them as GET values into the URL just set them directly in the URL using location.href. Then simply use $__GET (IE: $__GET['mat']) in PHP to grab values.

var baseURL = "http://yourdomain.com";
window.location.href = baseURL + "?mat=" + mats.name + "&thick=" + mats.thick etc...

Aruna Tebel · Answer 2 · 2015-07-27T19:00:32.090

1

First you have to properly prepare your mats array and convert materialsUsed array into JSON format. Then you can call an ajax function like below, to send it to the php script.

var jsonString = JSON.stringify(materialsUsed);
   $.ajax({
        type: "GET",
        url: "your_script.php",
        data: {data : jsonString}, 

        success: function(){
            alert("Successfully sent the data!");
        }
    });

From the your_script.php file, you can perform this to extract the array.

$data = json_decode(stripslashes($_GET['data']));

Important

When using GET method, the amount of the data (length of url) is limited. So, if your materialUsed array is too huge, you should use POST method instead.

edited Jul 27 '15 at 19:00

answered Jul 27 '15 at 18:48

Aruna Tebel

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The OP did say "through the URL" so I'm assuming he would like to use GET not POST. – ThatTechGuy Jul 27 '15 at 18:48
also, this uses the jQuery library, OP didn't say anything about jQuery :o XMLHttpRequest ? :p (also the code OP posted, using getElementById seem to suggest that he is in fact NOT using jQuery) – hanshenrik Jul 27 '15 at 19:05
1

@hanshenrik Although my answer was without JQuery for the same reason, the OP is using some JQuery mats.price = parseFloat($('#priceto').val()).toFixed(2); mats.quantity = parseInt($('#quant').val()); – ThatTechGuy Jul 27 '15 at 19:51
oh, i didn't see that! :o but why are you using stripslashes? far as i can tell, it will only corrupt the json – hanshenrik Jul 27 '15 at 22:47

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 27 '15 at 18:40

I think what you're looking for is making an ajax call to your php script providing your js array as its data. You should listen for the form submission event in your javascript and launch an AJAX call to your PHP script providing your array. You may send your array via the URL (query string) using a GET or in the request body using a POST (that's an option you specify in your AJAX call). Then you would just retrieve your array in your php script an do whatever you want with it.

I suggest you read more on form submission events and AJAX calls in javaScript.

Quick hint : if you have the possibility to do so, try using jQuery as AJAX is way easier to use with jQuery.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 27 '15 at 18:41

0

You are trying to use associative array, but it's not possible in Javascript as far as I know.

I'd say the best way to do that is creating a object, parsing to json and sending to php. Does't look that hard.

answered Jul 27 '15 at 18:41

henriale

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How to send an Array via URL and extract it in PHP?

4 Answers4