Why does PHP json_encode flatten array?

Question

I have this PHP array ($savedRequestDates) of dates:

Array ( [0] => 2018-03-29 10:56:31 [1] => 2018-03-29 10:58:09 [2] => 2018-04-12 11:28:41 [3] => 2018-04-12 13:07:25 [4] => 2018-05-09 13:08:07 )

At the bottom of the same .php page I have this:

<script type="text/javascript">
var sessions = new Array('<?php echo json_encode($savedRequestDates); ?>');
console.log(sessions[0]);
</script>

The console.log(sessions[0]); returns:

["2018-03-29 10:56:31","2018-03-29 10:58:09","2018-04-12 11:28:41","2018-04-12 13:07:25","2018-05-09 13:08:07"]

Why is the JavaScript array flattening at the 0 index? If I try console.log(sessions); it returns an array with one variable, not 5, as the php array clearly shows.

Am I missing something here?

Michał Perłakowski · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-16 17:38:16Z

6

This happens because you're wrapping the array from PHP which another array (new Array). Just remove the new Array part and it will work fine.

var sessions = <?php echo json_encode($savedRequestDates); ?>;

answered May 16, 2018 at 17:38

Michał Perłakowski

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Comments

Intervalia · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-16 17:38:34Z

0

From what I see the call to json_encodewill create a full JSON object and not just the content of the array. You are enclosing the entire output of the PHP generated array as index 0 inside the new Array.

So removing the new Array will generate what you are looking for.

Try this:

<script type="text/javascript">
var sessions = <?php echo json_encode($savedRequestDates); ?>;
console.log(sessions);
</script>

And you should see the entire array.

answered May 16, 2018 at 17:38

Intervalia

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1 Comment

Sam Sverko Over a year ago

That did it! Thank you for the help.

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