PHP and AJAX: How can I display json_encode data in PHP while loop?

Question

I am very new to using AJAX and passing data with json_encode. I have this "aht" button when clicked it will send an AJAX request to my show_aht.php script, which will run a query. I want to save the results and display it to my map.php.

Problem:

In my map.php I have a while loop that outputs square(desk) DIVs with another DIV(station) when clicked that displays content inside of it. Here is the fiddle so you may understand. I want the results of show_aht.php "TIME" to be displayed in the DIVs being produced by my WHILE LOOP in map.php.

How is it possible to do this? I know that AJAX and PHP cannot interact with eachother and thats why I need help. If this can't be done, how else can I display the TIME from show_aht.php to their corresponding usernames on each DIV being output? I have around 200 of them being displayed.

Thanks in advance.

map.php (only showing the last line of the while loop, outputs all DIVs)

//desk DIV
 while(somequery){
    ....
    echo '<div class="' . $class . '" data-rel="' . $id . '" style="left:' . $x_pos . 'px;top:' . $y_pos.'px;">' . $sta_num . '</div>' . "\n";
}//end while

//station DIV
while(some query){
.....
   echo '<div class="station_info_" id="station_info_' . $id . '" style="left:' . $x_pos . 'px;top:'                             .$y_pos . 'px;"><p class="numb">User:' . $user .'<br>Station:' . $hostname . '<br>Pod:' . $sta_num .     '<br>Section:' . $sec_name . '<br>State:' . $state .'<br></p></div>' . "\n";
}//end while

map.php (AJAX part)

<div id="aht"><!--aht button--> 
    <button id="aht_button">AHT</button>    
</div><!--aht button-->

<script type="text/javascript">
            $(document).ready(function() {
                $('#aht').click(function(){
                    $.ajax({
                    type:"POST",
                    url : "show_aht.php",
                    data: , // pass data here
                    dataType: 'json',
                    success : function(data){

                    }//end success
                });//end ajax
              });//end click
            });//end rdy
        </script>

show_aht.php (showing the loop and part I where I want the data to be returned)

foreach($memo_data as $v){
        foreach($user_data as $m){
            if($v['memo_code'] == $m){
                echo " User: " .$m. " Time: " . $v['avg_handle_time'] . "<br>";
            }
            elseif( $v['memo_code'] != $m){
                echo  "User: " . $m . " Time: N/A <br>";
            }
        }
    }

jeroen · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-10 15:31:39Z

3

Don't output anything except one valid json string. In your case you do that by replacing the echo's with building an array (or object...) and output that at the very end:

For example:

$data = array();
foreach($memo_data as $v){
        foreach($user_data as $m){
            if($v['memo_code'] == $m){
                $data[] = " User: " .$m. " Time: " . $v['avg_handle_time'] . "<br>";
            }
            elseif( $v['memo_code'] != $m){
                $data[] = "User: " . $m . " Time: N/A <br>";
            }
        }
    }

// Output your json string
echo json_encode($data);

Note that I have simply replaced your echos with an assignment but you could also add arrays in your array to return just the data parts and process that afterwards in javascript.

For example (this would depend a bit on your exact data structure...):

...
$data[] = array($m, $v['avg_handle_time']);
...

answered Nov 10, 2014 at 15:31

jeroen

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6 Comments

alda1234 Over a year ago

thanks for the reply, here is the result of your answer when I use var_dump($data). It saves every value from the FOR loop multiple times into the array instead of saving it once?

jeroen Over a year ago

@alda1234 You are using a nested loop so that might be the problem. Hard to tell without seeing the data you are using.

alda1234 Over a year ago

ok the problem was in my for loop, I had to change the conditions inside my IF statements. Now that the array is "properly" done how do I send it back with AJAX so I can display it on the different DIVs? thanks

jeroen Over a year ago

@alda1234 It's already there, you just need to parse the json on the client-site / in javascript to put the different parts where you want them.

alda1234 Over a year ago

sorry but I am not understanding the parse to client side? How is it possible to send the data into my DIVs if they are being produced with PHP WHILE loop way before I execute show_aht.php. thanks

|

Jay Blanchard · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-10 19:12:35Z

1

change show_aht.php to

$res=array();
foreach($memo_data as $v){
        foreach($user_data as $m){
            if($v['memo_code'] == $m){
                $res[]= " User: " .$m. " Time: " . $v['avg_handle_time'];
            }
            elseif( $v['memo_code'] != $m){
                $res[]=  "User: " . $m . " Time: N/A <br>";
            }
        }
    }

echo json_encode($res);

and map.php ajax to

$(document).ready(function() {
                $('#aht').click(function(){
                    $.ajax({
                    type:"POST",
                    url : "show_aht.php",
                    data: , // pass data here
                    dataType: 'json',
                    success : function(data){
                      for(i=0;i<data.length;i++){
                      //append data[i] to div
                      }
                    }//end success
                });//end ajax
              });//end click
            });//end rdy

edited Nov 10, 2014 at 19:12

Jay Blanchard

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answered Nov 10, 2014 at 15:33

shaN

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1 Comment

alda1234 Over a year ago

thanks for the reply, here is the result of your answer when I use var_dump($data). It saves every value from the FOR loop multiple times into the array instead of saving it once?

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