PHP echo returning the word 'Array'

Question

Been lurking on Stackoverflow for a long time but this is my first post. I am receiving a error related to displaying an array which is supposed to be populated by a mysql query. The echo function just returns ArrayArrayArray instead of what is supposed to be there. The mysql query is comparing a form input (the variable $data) .

<?php
$data = $_POST["search"];
global $data;

// Create Connection
$con = mysqli_connect(xxxxx,xxxxxx,xxxxx,xxxxx);

// Check Connection
if (mysqli_errno($con))

{
    echo "Failed To Connect To The Database" ;
}


//Perform Query To Compare And Return Results
$result_array = array();
$query = " SELECT url FROM data WHERE url LIKE '%$data%' "  ;
$result = mysqli_query($con, $query);
// While Loop To Return All Comparable Results
    while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($result)) {

 $result_array[] = $row['url'];

 echo $result_array ;


}
?>

use should use print_r($result_array) or var_dump($result_array) — Perry
– Perry, Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 15:43
not sure what your question is but to print an array use print_r($result_array) — malta
– malta, Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 15:43
It is not an error. It's just the way arrays are printed using the echo command. You should use something else (as suggested in the other comments) to print the contents of an array. — linkyndy
– linkyndy, Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 15:45
When using mysqli you should be using parameterized queries and bind_param to add user data to your query. DO NOT use string interpolation to accomplish this because you will probably create severe SQL injection bugs. — tadman
– tadman, Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 17:23

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 20:24:57Z

10

echo will print a string, try using something like print_r() or var_dump() instead

Example

echo '<pre>';
print_r($result_array);
echo '</pre>';

<pre> will allow for easier reading of the array

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 20:24

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 15:43

Jamie Taylor

4,7736 gold badges47 silver badges68 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Kirmaan Aboobaker Over a year ago

Thanks for the help, print_r() and var_dump() do work, but I require a array because another piece of code has to use the results of the array.

linkyndy Over a year ago

Then just use the $result_array in that piece of code.

Jamie Taylor Over a year ago

By any chance are you returning this array to another file, over something like AJAX? If so, why not use echo json_encode($result_array);

Monirul Islam · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-10 15:44:36Z

3

You can try with following code.

<?php echo '<pre>'; print_r($result_array); echo '</pre>'; ?>

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 15:44

Monirul Islam

9451 gold badge9 silver badges26 bronze badges

Comments

Asenar · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-10 15:46:13Z

1

In your code, you want to replace echo $result_array; by echo $row['url']; (to display the content of url at each loop), or remove that line and add a print_r($result_array); after the while{} loop, to display all in one command.

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 15:46

Asenar

7,0863 gold badges44 silver badges53 bronze badges

Comments

Olvathar · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-10 15:47:29Z

1

It's also useful use echo implode(';', $result_array); for joining strings of each element in $result_array

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 15:47

Olvathar

5513 silver badges10 bronze badges

Comments

Bob Gilmore · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-10 16:07:46Z

1

echo posts the string version of your variable, which in this case will look like Array.

You can use var_dump($result_array); or print_r($result_array); to get the results printed correctly.

edited Feb 10, 2014 at 16:07

Bob Gilmore

14k13 gold badges49 silver badges55 bronze badges

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 15:45

TheNWG

211 bronze badge

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP echo returning the word 'Array'

5 Answers 5

3 Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

5 Answers 5

3 Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related