PHP Two-Dimensional Associative Array Implode

Question

I'd like to store the following array in a single text field in a mySQL table:

$user_rating[0] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 1', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[1] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 2', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[2] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 3', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[3] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 4', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[4] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 5', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[5] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 6', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

$user_rating[6] = array('percent' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', 
                    'category' => 'Category 7', 
                    'description' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'link' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX',
                    'thumbnail' => 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX');

I believe I need to implode the associative arrays as well to accomplish this but am having some trouble.

Any other/better array structure solutions are also welcomed.

Thanks

Answer 1

Have you considered JSON? It might be your best bet if you want to stick to a single field.

PHP - JavaScript Object Notation

edit: Or even better, read (and vote) for the comment below, because serialize is a native function.

Answer 2

You can use PHP's serialize to convert the array to a single string. When you retrieve it from the database you can use unserialize to convert it back to the array.

Answer 3

There is a better solution for sure.
Store this data as a separate records in a dedicated table.
That's what relational databases are for.

Answer 4

First, you don't need to specify ordered numeric keys, just write:

$user_rating[] = array();

Second, why would you want to store the entire array as a string? Why not just store each of its fields as s column? Is this not an option?

Third, you can store serialized arrays (or any data, for that matter) in the DB.

serialize($user_rating);
store_to_db();
...
$handler = unserialize(get_data_out());

If you want to store it as a straight up string, however, that's a bit more complicated. You would have to cycle through the array and append the keys and values individually.