Question

I am build a data structure using multidimensional associative arrays. Can I update that data structure into a mysql table field and then read it back again?

Here is an example of what I am trying to do:

$result = mysql_query("select * FROM color") or die(mysql_error());
$colors = "";
while($colorrec = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
 $colors[$colorrec['ID']][0] = $colorrec['Description'];
 $colors[$colorrec['ID']][1] = $colorrec['HexCode'];
}

If I now do:

mysql_query("UPDATE tempfile SET ColorInfo = '".$colors."' WHERE ID = '".tempID."'");

Can I then do:

$result = mysql_query("select * from tempfile WHERE ID = '".tempID."'");
$temprec = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$colors = $temprec['ColorInfo'];

Answer 1

You could serialize it to hold it’s data type, then unserialize it when you fetch it back.

$result = mysql_query("select * FROM color") or die(mysql_error());
$colors = array();
while($colorrec = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
  $colors[$colorrec['ID']] = array($colorrec['Description'], $colorrec['HexCode']);
}

mysql_query("UPDATE tempfile SET ColorInfo = '".serialize($colors)."' WHERE ID = '".$tempID."'");

$result = mysql_query("select * from tempfile WHERE ID = '".$tempID."'");
$temprec = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$colors = unserialize($temprec['ColorInfo']);