PHP Array saved to Text file
arrays, php
Solution
Better serialize and save to file, then unserialize back to array.
// serialize your input array (say $array)
$serializedData = serialize($array);
// save serialized data in a text file
file_put_contents('your_file_name.txt', $serializedData);
// at a later point, you can convert it back to array like:
$recoveredData = file_get_contents('your_file_name.txt');
// unserializing to get actual array
$recoveredArray = unserialize($recoveredData);
// you can print your array like
print_r($recoveredArray);
Problem
I've saved a response from an outside server to a text file, so I don't need to keep running connection requests. Instead, perhaps I can use the text file for my manipulation purposes, until I'm read for re-connecting again. (also, my connection requests are limited to this outside server) Here is what I've saved to a text file: records.txt ``` Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 552 [date_created] => 2012-02-23 10:30:56 [date_modified] => 2012-03-09 18:55:26 [date_deleted] => 2012-03-09 18:55:26 [first_name] => Test [middle_name] => [last_name] => Test [home_phone] => (123) 123-1234 [email] => someemail@somedomain.com ) [1] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 553 [date_created] => 2012-02-23 10:30:56 [date_modified] => 2012-03-09 18:55:26 [date_deleted] => 2012-03-09 18:55:26 [first_name] => Test [middle_name] => [last_name] => Test [home_phone] => (325) 558-1234 [email] => someemail@somedomain.com ) ) ``` There's actually more in the Array, but I'm sure 2 are fine. Since this is a text file, and I want to pretend this is the actual outside server (sending me the same info), how do I make it a real array again? I know I need to open the file first: ``` <?php $fp = fopen('records.txt', "r"); // open the file $theData = fread($fh, filesize('records.txt')); fclose($fh); echo $theData; ?> ``` So far `$theData` is a string value. Is there a way to convert it back to the Array it originally came in as?