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sking5292Flag for United States of America

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Passing PHP array to Javascript through XmlHttp

Hello,
I have a global javascript array and I'm trying to fill that array from a php script through Ajax but it is not working form .. appreciate your help

Here sample of the code

// ==============   .js file ================//

var sel_rule = [];

function view_array(arg1){
      var url="php_file.php"
      url=url+"?arg1="+arg1
      url=url+"&sid="+Math.random() // prevent using cache

      swmxmlHttp=GetXmlHttpObject()
      swmxmlHttp.onreadystatechange = view_array_stateChanged;
      swmxmlHttp.open("GET",url,true)
      swmxmlHttp.send(null)
}
functionview_array_stateChanged(){
      if (swmxmlHttp.readyState==4 || swmxmlHttp.readyState=="complete")
      {
            document.getElementById("array_view").innerHTML= swmxmlHttp.responseText       
               
               alert(sel_rule.length);  // This should show the number of elements in the array but I always get 0
      }
}


// ============  php_file.php    ================== //
<?
    $arg1 =  $_GET["arg1"];
  // query database

  // fill the javascrip array with query results.. I'm using fix values here
   echo "<script>
             sel_rule[0] = 22222
             sel_rule[1] = 24444
             sel_rule[2] = 22555
            </script>";
?>


Thanks in advance
Avatar of b0lsc0tt
b0lsc0tt
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sking5292,

Does the PHP script only send that code in the response?

The problem is the script isn't being run by the browser.  Even with the script tags it is just treated as html or text.  If that is all the PHP script send in the "responseText" then I suggest you use JSON.  I don't have time for an example of this right now but I will be happy to provide one if you need it.  Basically you send the array in a little different format and then use the Javascript to get it in an array.  A little more work but JSON is great. :)

Let me know if you have any questions or need more information.

b0lsc0tt
Avatar of alexgcm
alexgcm

You coud do your php like this:

echo "22222,24444,22555";


And your javascript like this:

functionview_array_stateChanged(){
      if (swmxmlHttp.readyState==4 || swmxmlHttp.readyState=="complete")
      {
            var sel_rule = swmxmlHttp.responseText.split(",");
            alert(sel_rule.length);  // This should show the number of elements in the array but I always get 0            }
}



Also you could use JSON or XML and parse the result.
Avatar of sking5292

ASKER

b0lsc0tt,
Thanks for your reply,

Yes, the php code is returning that array only.

I have never used JSON before, so I did some research on how to it use to get this done, so do you think I can do this by creating JSON object in php and use javascript eval() function to excute it?

if that's not the case, I appreciate an example ..

Thank you
alexgcm,
I wish it's that simple, the problem is I'm trying to return multiple complicated arrays (hash key arrays)
 
  sel_ruls['icmp']=[1111,222,333]
  sel_ruls['icmp_info']=[5561,255,443]

  un_selected_ruls['dns']=[555,5566,666]

regards


 
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of hielo
hielo
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If you want to use JSON notation:

// ==============   .js file ================//

var sel_rule = null;

function view_array(arg1){
      var url="php_file.php"
      url=url+"?arg1="+arg1
      url=url+"&sid="+Math.random() // prevent using cache

      swmxmlHttp=GetXmlHttpObject()
      swmxmlHttp.onreadystatechange = view_array_stateChanged;
      swmxmlHttp.open("GET",url,true)
      swmxmlHttp.send(null)
}
functionview_array_stateChanged(){
      if (swmxmlHttp.readyState==4 || swmxmlHttp.readyState=="complete")
      {
              eval("sel_rule ="+seswmxmlHttp.responseText+";");  
               alert(sel_rule.sel_ruls.icmp.length);  // This should show the number of elements in the array but I always get 0
      }
}

// ============  php_file.php    ================== //
<?
    $arg1 =  $_GET["arg1"];
  // query database

  // fill the javascrip array with query results.. I'm using fix values here
   echo "
{
{
      'sel_ruls':
      {
            'icmp':[
                  1111
                  ,222
                  ,333
            ]

            ,'icmp_info':[
                  5561
                  ,255
                  ,443
            ]
      }
}
,{
      'un_selected_ruls':{
            'dns':
            [
                  555
                  ,5566
                  ,443
            ]
}
}
          ";
?>
You couls also format you strings by putting some delimeters and processin on the client. Take a look at this:

// ==============   .js file ================//

var sel_rule = null;

function view_array(arg1){
      var url="php_file.php"
      url=url+"?arg1="+arg1
      url=url+"&sid="+Math.random() // prevent using cache

      swmxmlHttp=GetXmlHttpObject()
      swmxmlHttp.onreadystatechange = view_array_stateChanged;
      swmxmlHttp.open("GET",url,true)
      swmxmlHttp.send(null)
}
functionview_array_stateChanged(){
      if (swmxmlHttp.readyState==4 || swmxmlHttp.readyState=="complete")
      {
              data = String(seswmxmlHttp.responseText).replace(/\s/g);
                data = data.split(";");
                for( var i=0;i<data.length;++i)
                {
                            var k = data[i].split("^");
                        sel_rule[ k[0] ]=null;
                        sel_rule[ k[0] ][ k[1] ]=null;
                        sel_rule[ k[0] ][ k[1] ]= k[2].split(",");
                }
               alert(sel_rule.sel_ruls.icmp.length);  // This should show the number of elements in the array but I always get 0
      }
}

// ============  php_file.php    ================== //
<?
    $arg1 =  $_GET["arg1"];
  // query database

  // fill the javascrip array with query results.. I'm using fix values here
   echo "
sel_ruls^icmp^1111,222,333;
sel_ruls^icmp_info^5561,255,443;
un_selected_ruls^dns^555,5566,666;
";
?>
It wouldn't have to be a PHP JSON object.  I honestly don't know off the top of my head if PHP has one.  If so it might make this easier.  The key is to have the PHP response like that posted in hielo's last comment.  It comes to the AJAX and Javascript just as "text" but in that style it can easily be converted by Javascript and quickly becomes an array, etc.

Let me know how that post by Hielo gets you going.  I will be busy still for a few hours but can make some code, etc after that if you give me an idea of what you need.  There is lots of info on JSON on the Internet too but it can be a little overwhelming. :)

bol
eval function is all I needed

Thanks hielo
Thank you guys, that was helpful