How to correctly return an array to ajax call in php?

Question

ajax calls below php and expect an array of json to be return. I think I have the data ready but don't know how to return them correctly.

$files = array();
foreach($db2_databaselist as $db) {

    $file = new stdClass();
    $file->data = date('Y-m-d--H:i:s',strtotime($db));
    $file->attr = new stdClass();
    $file->attr->rel = "file";
    $file->attr->timestamp = $db.$type[0];

    $files[] = json_encode($file);
}
   echo "<pre>Output = " . print_r($files,TRUE) . "</pre>";
   echo "<BR><BR><BR>";
   print_r($files, TRUE);

where print_r($files,TRUE) gives me

Output = Array
(
    [0] => {"data":"2011-08-07--02:30:05","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110807023005w"}}
    [1] => {"data":"2011-07-31--02:30:09","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110731023009w"}}
    [2] => {"data":"2011-07-24--02:30:09","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110724023009w"}}
)

But print_r($files,TRUE) returns nothing.

How can I get php to return

[
 {"data":"2011-08-07--02:30:05","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110807023005w"}},
 {"data":"2011-07-31--02:30:09","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110731023009w"}},
    [2] => {"data":"2011-07-24--02:30:09","attr":{"rel":"file","timestamp":"20110724023009w"}}
]

cwallenpoole · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-21 07:40:58Z

2

You don't need json encode after the loop as things are. You need implode. Your array values are already JSON strings, which means that using json_encode will only escape the strings!

Instead:

echo '['.implode(',',$files).']';

OR! You could skip json_encode on this line:

$files[] = json_encode($file);

And the end of the loop would look like this instead:

    $files[] = $file;
}

$files = json_encode( $files );

edited Aug 21, 2011 at 7:40

answered Aug 21, 2011 at 7:35

cwallenpoole

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3 Comments

Radek Over a year ago

I like the second solution better. Great that you spotted it.

cwallenpoole Over a year ago

@Radek I didn't see the json_encode in the look first go round

Radek Over a year ago

I did it this way because I didn't know how to make $files an object so I can use objects only. So I made $files an array. Wors very smoothly now.

fatnjazzy · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-21 07:36:42Z

0

you need to use json_encode php function

print json_encode($files);

answered Aug 21, 2011 at 7:36

fatnjazzy

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Comments

Andrew Park · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-21 07:37:37Z

-1

echo json_encode($files) should be enough

answered Aug 21, 2011 at 7:37

Andrew Park

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