data from js serialized what format in php

Question

var data = $('#demoform').serialize();
var action = $('#demoform').attr('data-action');
console.log(data)
$.ajax({
  type: 'POST',
  url: '../include/demo.php',
  dataType: "json",
  data: {
    data: data,
    action: action
  },
  success: function(data) {

  }
}).done(function(data) {

});

In my php I get the data and I check it if the data is array like

$data =  $_POST['data'];
if (is_array($data)) {

}else{

}

I cant send it and when I use print_r(); I can get

task_date=11%2F30%2F2017+8%3A14+PM&task=qwe&task_person=qwe&task_status=0

But I always end up in the else part meaning the data is not an array.

What is the format of the data if not array?

@Akintunde that is what I want to know. What is the format of data send from js using `.serialize();` if it is not an array what is it? — Lloyd, Nov 30 '17 at 12:27
@splash58 I am sending it to php using ajax as shown above in the snippet — Lloyd, Nov 30 '17 at 12:28
shouldn't it be `$_POST` you should be checking and not `$data`?? `$data` does not seem to be defined — Rotimi, Nov 30 '17 at 12:29
`$data` is obviously not an array here. check for example `!empty($data['task']);` — Rotimi, Nov 30 '17 at 12:32
so i have to check one by one but why did it return should i get error for using `print_r()` for a string? @Akintunde — Lloyd, Nov 30 '17 at 12:33
I don't understand why you receivw a string. But to proccees it `parse_str ($data, $res); print_r($res);` — splash58, Nov 30 '17 at 12:38
Possible duplicate of [jquery form.serialize and other parameters](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10398783/jquery-form-serialize-and-other-parameters) — splash58, Nov 30 '17 at 12:47
Perfect solution for your scenario in PHP - using `parse_str()`, I've just answered your question below, check if that is what you need! — Tushar Walzade, Nov 30 '17 at 13:04

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 30 '17 at 12:30

0

The data that you provided is not an array. It is a key-value pair, that can be accessed like $data['task']='qwe'

answered Nov 30 '17 at 12:30

Roman Hrokholskyi

61
1
5

Its not a Key Value Pair, as print_r returns one big string not an array – Deckerz Nov 30 '17 at 12:31

Tushar Walzade · Answer 2 · 2017-11-30T13:01:01.850

0

You need to use urldecode() on your data that you receive.

This might be what you are interested in -

<?php
    $data = "task_date=11%2F30%2F2017+8%3A14+PM&task=qwe&task_person=qwe&task_status=0";
    parse_str($data, $output);
    print_r($output);
?>

Which Results in - Array ( [task_date] => 11/30/2017 8:14 PM [task] => qwe [task_person] => qwe [task_status] => 0 )

edited Nov 30 '17 at 13:01

answered Nov 30 '17 at 12:36

Tushar Walzade

3,737
4
33
56

This will not work if any of the values contain an encoded `&`. – jeroen Nov 30 '17 at 12:53

jeroen · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-30T12:43:20.777

0

In your case, $_POST["data"] is a url-encoded query string, see the jQuery manual:

Description: Encode a set of form elements as a string for submission.

You need parse_str() to parse the query string ~~first and then you can use urldecode() on the individual values to get the original values back~~.

Edit: As noted by @splash58, the values are already decoded, see the manual on parse_str():

Note:

All variables created (or values returned into array if second parameter is set) are already urldecode()d.

So:

// Get the array
parse_str($_POST["data"], $data);

edited Nov 30 '17 at 12:43

answered Nov 30 '17 at 12:38

jeroen

91,079
21
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let me make it clear in the ajax i need to use `parse_str(data)` then in php i need to `urldecode($data)` ? then I use foreach now on them? I can check for array? – Lloyd Nov 30 '17 at 12:41
@Lloyd No, you need only `parse_str()` in php. Note that the results are set in the second parameter. – jeroen Nov 30 '17 at 12:44
@jeroen the problem is on js side with making data – splash58 Nov 30 '17 at 12:48
@splash58 It is unnecessarily complicated if you don't need to add extra fields, but I don't see a problem, you can send any string as the value. – jeroen Nov 30 '17 at 12:49
@jeroen Of course, your solution solve the problem. But OP will not get error source while using this code. From this point of view, it's better to change js and use internal PHP method to create correct $_POST – splash58 Nov 30 '17 at 13:03

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 30 '17 at 12:39

As I see you have some problem variable of ajax request. Please update your code as below.

var data = $('#demoform').serialize();
var action = $('#demoform').attr('data-action');
console.log(data)
$.ajax({
  type: 'POST',
  url: action,
  data: data,
  success: function(data) {

  }
}).done(function(data) {

});

I hope this helps.

data from js serialized what format in php

4 Answers4