array and database

[Homer_simpson]

is it possible to have an array of text as a field in your database?

[rizzix]

ur trying to store a complex datatype. if ur database supports it you can. i know oracle does. not sure of mysql. anyhow just convert that array of text to a single string, then store that string. that will work anyhow.

[Homer_simpson]

well i'll just do this:
Use a text field... and put all my texts there and separate them with a special character like Þ then use this function to break it down into an array:

code:

function analyze($ass){ $parr=array(); $tmpstr=""; $arrc=0; for($i=0;$i<strlen($ass);$i+=1){         if($ass[$i]=="Þ")                 {                         $parr[$arrc]=$tmpstr;                         //echo $tmpstr;                         $tmpstr="";                         $arrc+=1;                 }         else    {                         $tmpstr=$tmpstr.$ass[$i];                 } } return $parr; }

so now if $text="picture1.jpgÞpicture2.jpgÞsomethingÞ"

when i pass it through my function the return array will be like this:
arr[0]=picture1.jpg
arr[1]=picture2.jpg
arr[2]=something


hopefully this we'll solve yer problem if u had the same problem as i did..

[rizzix]

eh what!!! u solved ur own problem thats nice

[Homer_simpson]

rizzix wrote:

eh what!!! u solved ur own problem thats nice

lol... i knew how to do that.... i wanted to know if there's a proper way to di it so i wouldn't have to extract strings from eachother...

[octopi]

I am pretty sure this is what you want.

http://ca.php.net/serialize
http://ca.php.net/unserialize

[PaddyLong]

heh you do know that php provides a function to split strings into an array at certain a expression? split ... http://ca2.php.net/manual/en/function.split.php

[Homer_simpson]

PaddyLong wrote:

heh you do know that php provides a function to split strings into an array at certain a expression? split ... http://ca2.php.net/manual/en/function.split.php

lol... no i had no idea that php does that... but i'm still happy with the way i'm working my database and separating them manually...

[rizzix]

if i were you, i'd go with octopi's recommendation: serialization. Since using that method you can even store Objects in the database.

[Homer_simpson]

well yes that's not a bad idea... but currently all i need is to save simple strings into a field and i find sperating the strings easier to do... but if i wanna store more complex data then i'll use that method...

[octopi]

First off you make no sense in your posts, and you keep contradicting yourself....and heres an anwser using the methods I explained.....I don't see how this is harder or more complex...it does the exact thing, but in a better way, and probally more efficient way.

code:

$array = array('one', 'two', 'three'); $stringofarray = base64_encode(serialize($array)); $query = "insert into phparray values('',$stringofarray)"; mysql_query($query); $query = "select data from phparray where id=0"; $result = mysql_query($query); $newarray = unserialize(base64_encode(mysql_fetch_array($result)));

Untested because...I am not going to put that much effort into a solution for you.


Why would you ask for an anwser to a question you have already solved...and then not even use the anwsers...