| Re: implode/explode vs serialize/unserialize [message #178309 is a reply to message #178303] |
Wed, 30 May 2012 20:34   |
Thomas 'PointedEars'
Messages: 701
Registered: October 2010
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Senior Member |
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bill wrote:
> On 5/29/2012 10:19 AM, Erwin Moller wrote:
>> On 5/29/2012 3:24 PM, bill wrote:
>>> Would one of the more knowledgeable folk discuss when it is
>>> appropriate
>>> to use implode/explode and when it is appropriate to use
>>> serialize/unserialize.
>>>
>>> It seems that for 1D arrays implode is better in that is only
>>> adds 1
>>> character per array element and serialize adds many.
>>>
>>> For objects, serialze is the only way to go.
>>>
>>> in between ?
>>>
>>> bill
>>
>> That is a vague question without more context.
>> Shooting from the hip I would suggest you use serialize only if
>> you need to store/transport a complex structure.
>> And use implode and explode only when you want to create a string
>> from a simple array (no arrays in arrays), and the other way around.
Utter nonsense.
> Your shot from the hip is exactly what I was looking for - thanks.
No it is not. The problem with that approach is that implode() is _not_
generally reversible with explode(), even in a simple, one-dimensional array
where all elements are of the same type.
It does not work if the array elements are of different type or are not
strings (because the values are type-converted to string, and exploding a
string results in array of string elements), and it does not work if the
delimiter (say, `,') is part of any array string element, assuming that all
values are strings already. And if you knew exactly what was in an array,
you would not need to implode() it in the first place.
So if you want to preserve a data structure in string form for later
restore, use serialize() and unserialize(), nothing else.
PointedEars
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