note 81783 added to function.unserialize

Thanks to Igor who helped provide the solution to this. Serialize is very strict when it comes to quotes, and I spent _days_ figuring out why MySQL/PostgreSQL/etc. and locally set serialized strings returned a blank array, testing with both double and single quotes to see which one works. Changing literal single quotes to "&#039" (I'm using numeric reference since &rsquo; and &lsquo; are different) and double quotes to "&quot;" cures all problems, while changing only one at a time only remedies a few of them. I'm interested to hear if other people have different experiences. For example, the following string works: <?php //-------------------------------------------- // Set the example value. It doesn't matter if the string is from // a database query or locally set - the side-effects are the same. $heightoptionslist = <<<HEIGHTEND a:3:{s:37:"Hands/inches (eg. 13&#039; 2&quot;HH)";s:6:"option";s:25:"Inches only (eg.39&quot;)";s:6:"option";s:24:"Centimeters (eg. 153cms)";s:6:"option";} HEIGHTEND; //-------------------------------------------- // Change the serialized string back to an array. $heightoptionslist = unserialize($heightoptionslist); //-------------------------------------------- // Output the value in a format we can understand. echo "<div><pre>\$heightoptionslist = [\n".print_r($heightoptionslist, true)."\n]</pre></div>"; ?> while a string containing literal quotes doesn't (in nearly all cases on this machine): <?php //-------------------------------------------- // Another example value, // this time with escaped literal quotes $heightoptionslist = <<<HEIGHTEND a:3:{s:26:"Hands/inches (eg. 13\' 2\"HH)";s:6:"option";s:20:"Inches only (eg.39\")";s:6:"option";s:24:"Centimeters (eg. 153cms)";s:6:"option";} HEIGHTEND; //-------------------------------------------- // Change the serialized string back to an array. $heightoptionslist = unserialize($heightoptionslist); //-------------------------------------------- // And return a blank array for some fun. echo "<div><pre>\$heightoptionslist = [\n".print_r($heightoptionslist, true)."\n]</pre></div>"; ?> ---- Server IP: 117.104.160.194 Probable Submitter: 61.68.215.66 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.unserialize.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/81783 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/81783 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/81783 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php