Explode ?

[Anon]

Hi

I have inserted as suggested an array into a field by:

$interests = implode($interests_array, ",");

Now, $interests array sit in the field.

How would I explode the array after quering the field out from the db ? Or should I not use explode ?

[Anon]

You can certainly use explode(), as long as you have made it impossible for the contents of the original array to include the separator-character you used when you imploded it.

[Anon]

Sorry, I don't really get what you mean.

Is it possible to give an example ?

An example of what I've done:

<input type="checkbox" name="interests_array[]" value="Apple">
<input type="checkbox" name"interests_array[]" value="Orange">

Then, on.

$interests = implode("$interests_array, ",");

Thanks.

[Anon]

When you pull the data from the database, you would use explode()
So in your example you use a comma as a delimiter when imploding the array. Kirk pointed out to make sure that there is no possibilty of having a comma in one of the elements thus throwing off the count of your array. I would suggest using something like a | as a delimiter thus
$string = implode("|", $arrayname); before isnerintg to db and then one the other side when pulling from db
$arrayname = explode("|", $fieldfromdb);

[Anon]

As far as I can understand, Kirk means the following. For example, if you are going to have array like:
$a[0]='a,a,a'
$a[1]='b'
from the $string_to_explode='a,a,a,b' and you explode by ',' (explode($string_to_explode, ',') - just like your explode), you will get
$a[0]='a'
$a[1]='a'
$a[2]='a'
$a[3]='b'
If you are imploding the strings with ',' and then you explode them by ',' - the result will be incorrect if the original strings contain ',' in them.

[Anon]

Right, as long as you (the programmer) is determining what the actual options are, or are validating user-entered options to be sure they don't contain the delimiter, you're ok.

[Anon]

Thanks for the help. Greatly appreciated. 🙂