RE: [PHP-DB] serialize/unserialize vs. implode/explode for storing array data in MySQL

If you're dealing with a simple numeric array, you can get away with implode/explode. I'd use this for something like /etc/passwd: user:password:uid:gid:etc... But, for an array that I reference with keys, I'd use serialize: $user[name] = "Foo Bar"; $user[address] = "123 Any Street"; $user[phone] = "212.555.1212"; Serialization is also very good for storing an array of objects, each with multiple values: $passwd["root"]->uid = 0; $passwd["root"]->gecos = "Super User"; ... $passwd["www"]->uid = 80; $passwd["www"]->gecos = "Web User"; And yes... I've had a few applications where it made sense to use arrays of objects for storing and manipulating various bits information. Run this little bit of code and compare: <? $this[one] = "test"; $this[two] = "foo"; $this[three] = "bar"; echo implode($this,":") . "<P>" . serialize($this); ?> You'll note that with implode(), you can't recover the keys with an explode(); HTH, -- Troy Settle Pulaski Networks 540.994.4254 It's always a long day, 86400 doesn't fit into a short > -----Original Message----- > From: John Guynn [mailto:John.Guynn@telescan.com] > Sent: Monday, October 09, 2000 6:16 PM > To: Php-Db (E-mail) > Subject: [PHP-DB] serialize/unserialize vs. implode/explode for storing > array data in MySQL > > > What are the pros and cons of using serialize/unserialize vs. > implode/explode for storing array data in a MySQL database? It > looks to me > that the serialize functions will use more space and requires addslashes() > but is it faster/better somehow? > > John Guynn > > -- > PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, e-mail: php-db-unsubscribe@lists.php.net > For additional commands, e-mail: php-db-help@lists.php.net > To contact the list administrators, e-mail: php-list-admin@lists.php.net > >