eval()'ing the array() function

Anon

Right now I'm creating a string with the array() function in it, in order to eval() it to create the array I want at a later point in time. This is the code I'm using to create the string:

while(list($type, $checked)=each($new_html)) {
if ($checked=='on') $checked=1; else $checked=0;
if ($html!='array(') $html.=', ';
$html.="'$type'=>$checked";
}
$html.=');';

but when I do this:

$check_array=eval($html);

which is the same as doing this (under a specific form input):

$check_array=eval("array('biu'=>1, 'a'=>1, 'img'=>1, 'colors'=>1, 'quotes'=>1);");

it takes it, and when I go to use $check_array like the array it's supposed to be, it says that it isn't an array.

Help! What is going on with this?

--Mr. P

Anon

I don't have an answer for you, but I just have to ask, why? If you are building your $check_array later in the same script then why not just build it in your loop?

while(list($type, $checked)=each($new_html)) {
if ($checked=='on') $checked=1; else $checked=0;
$check_array[$type] = $checked;
}

Anon

I'm actually putting $html in a database, and since you can't store an array in a database itself as a type, and in another script pulling it out of the database and constructing the array. I find that this way is easier and puts less stress on the server than putting it into a separate table in the database and constructing the array from scratch -- here, I only need to construct the array once, and then later can take the constructor (the array() functino I built) and eval() it into making my array.

--Mr. P

Anon

check out parse_str() function in the manual under strings.

You could create this slightly different string instead of your array string.
Then use parse_str() on it instead of eval().

Note its the same syntax for passing vars in the url.
hope this helps,stef

Anon

That is so enormously incorrect database design.

Better construct a table from it, since it is way more easy to manage.

Anon

Ok, then check this out: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.serialize.php.

You should beable to build your array like I did then just serialize it and store that in your database. Although I agree with drm that's not a very efficient use/design of your database.