An array is a special variable that allows storing one or more values in a single variable e.g. – holding usernames or details in an Array.
They are easier to access and manipulate.
Sometimes, require to store Array in the MySQL database and retrieve it.
In this tutorial, I show how you can store an Array in the MySQL database and read it with PHP.
Contents
- Table structure
- Configuration
- With serialize() and unserialize()
- With implode() and explode()
- With Loop
- Conclusion
1. Table structure
Create contents_arr table.
The ‘arr_serialize1’ and ‘arr_serialize2’ is used to store serialized value.
CREATE TABLE `contents_arr` ( `id` int(11) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT, `username` varchar(80) NOT NULL, `name` varchar(80) NOT NULL, `arr_serialize1` varchar(255) NOT NULL, `arr_serialize2` varchar(255) NOT NULL ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
2. Configuration
Create a config.php for the database connection.
Completed Code
<?php
$host = "localhost"; /* Host name */
$user = "root"; /* User */
$password = ""; /* Password */
$dbname = "tutorial"; /* Database name */
$con = mysqli_connect($host, $user, $password,$dbname);
// Check connection
if (!$con) {
die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}
3. With serialize() and unserialize()
Define two arrays – $names_arr, and $users_arr.
$names_arr Array is Indexed type Array and $users_arr is an Associative Array.
Serialize Syntax –
serialize([Array]);
Pass the array in the serialize() method and pass the serialized values in the INSERT query.
Unserialize Syntax –
unserialize([Serialized value]);
Fetch records and pass the serialized value in the unserialize() method to convert it to Array format.
Completed Code
<?php
include "config.php";
// Indexed Array
$names_arr = array("Yogesh singh","Sonarika Bhadoria","Vijay Maurya");
// Associative Array
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"yssyogesh","name"=>"Yogesh singh");
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"bsonarika","name"=>"Sonarika Bhadoria");
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"vijay","name"=>"Vijay Maurya");
// Serialize the Array
$names_str = serialize($names_arr);
$users_str = serialize($users_arr);
// Insert record
$sql = "INSERT INTO contents_arr(arr_serialize1,arr_serialize2) VALUES('".$names_str."','".$users_str."')";
mysqli_query($con,$sql);
// Read record
$sql = mysqli_query($con,"SELECT * FROM contents_arr");
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sql)){
// Unserialize
$arr_unserialize1 = unserialize($row['arr_serialize1']);
$arr_unserialize2 = unserialize($row['arr_serialize2']);
// Display
echo "<pre>";
print_r($arr_unserialize1);
print_r($arr_unserialize2);
echo "</pre>";
}
Output –
Array
(
[0] => Yogesh singh
[1] => Sonarika Bhadoria
[2] => Vijay Maurya
)
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[username] => yssyogesh
[name] => Yogesh singh
)
[1] => Array
(
[username] => bsonarika
[name] => Sonarika Bhadoria
)
[2] => Array
(
[username] => vijay
[name] => Vijay Maurya
)
)
4. With implode() and explode()
Use implode() to separate the $names_arr by separator (” , “) and get a string. Pass the value in the INSERT query.
Fetch records and use explode() to convert a comma-separated string in an Array format.
In the example, I am displaying the value in a string and Array format.
Completed Code
<?php
include "config.php";
// Indexed Array
$names_arr = array("Yogesh singh","Sonarika Bhadoria","Vijay Maurya");
// Separate Array by " , "
$names_str = implode(" , ",$names_arr);
// Insert record
$sql = "INSERT INTO contents_arr(name) VALUES('".$names_str."')";
mysqli_query($con,$sql);
// Read record
$sql = mysqli_query($con,"SELECT * FROM contents_arr");
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sql)){
$name = $row['name'];
$name_explode = explode(" , ",$row['name']);
echo "name : ".$name."<br>";
echo "<pre>";
print_r($name_explode);
echo "</pre>";
}
Output –
name : Yogesh singh , Sonarika Bhadoria , Vijay Maurya
Array
(
[0] => Yogesh singh
[1] => Sonarika Bhadoria
[2] => Vijay Maurya
)
5. With Loop
Loop on the $users_arr Array.
Read and pass the value in the INSERT query. New record is inserted until data is available.
Completed Code
<?php
include "config.php";
// Associative Array
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"yssyogesh","name"=>"Yogesh singh");
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"bsonarika","name"=>"Sonarika Bhadoria");
$users_arr[] = array("username"=>"vijay","name"=>"Vijay Maurya");
// Insert record
foreach($users_arr as $userid=>$user){
$username = $user['username'];
$name = $user['name'];
$sql = "INSERT INTO contents_arr(username,name) VALUES('".$username."','".$name."')";
mysqli_query($con,$sql);
}
// Read record
$sql = mysqli_query($con,"SELECT * FROM contents_arr");
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sql)){
$username = $row['username'];
$name = $row['name'];
echo "username : ".$username.", name : ".$name."<br>";
}
Output –
username : yssyogesh, name : Yogesh singh username : bsonarika, name : Sonarika Bhadoria username : vijay, name : Vijay Maurya
6. Conclusion
It is better to use serialize() method which converts an Array to string format and stores it in a single column. You need to use the unserialize() method to convert the serialized value and get it back in the Array format.
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