Passing arrays on command line

farzal

Hi,
I am trying to pass an array from perl to php. In perl, I define a 4 element array as:
@array1 = ("this too", "is", "an", "array");

Then, I execute these:
phpscript.php @array11;phpscript.php "@array1"`; #with double quotes

First method: php sees this is as 5 separate string.
Second method: php sees this is a single string, "this is an array too"

Now, there is no way I can reconstruct the 4 element array that I intended to pass to php.

Please help, I am really lost.
Thanks !
Farzal

Anon

You could pass the array as a delimited string sush as
"this too##is##an##array" and then call explode() to split the elements.

farzal

I am getting the array using sql queries. Actually, I guess it would be a multidimentional array.

I am not sure how to convert resulting rows from sql query into delimited strings. Can you or someone please suggest some hack.

Thanks,
Farzal

cordex

http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.implode.php

That what you're looking for?

farzal

Problem: To pass a php script multiDimentional array (associative array) which was obtained in perl environment.

What I have:
After my sql query (in perl environment), I get a multiDimentional array. I will be given this by my manager, so I am not worrying about that

Solution (???):
I need to pass the multiD array to php script on command line, but php interprets that as a string. So, I need delimeters.

The solution, I guess, is to:

1st: Before calling php script, convert the multiD array into a string, placing delimeters as we append through the elements of multiD array.

2nd: after php script receives the string, it converts it back to multiD array.

I think it should work out. Thanks for the ideas ProgrammerMan and Ben.

WHY I am doing it?
I build this php library which would take some parameters and deliver a PDF table using pdflib. So far, the process was online. I would predefine queries, users would select them on the web, and what they see is a customizable pdf report.

Now, my manager wants to do it in a batch environment. Since he is familiar with perl/Bshell, he is asking me to modify the pdflibrary so that it can be passed the parameters on command line instead of online sql queries. So, I am working on it.

THanks,
Farzal