Ajax result as array and JSON.parse error - php

Question

I have coded an ajax request and the data is returned as an array to be used in a timepicker.
Ajax Call:
<script type="text/javascript">
$.ajaxSetup({ cache: false });
var consultdate;
var userid;
var cat;
var timezone;
var consultstart;
var consultend;
$('#consultdate').change(function() {
consultdate = $('#consultdate').val();
userid= '<?php echo $user_id;?>';
cat = '<?php echo $category;?>';
timezone = '<?php echo $time_zone;?>';
consultstart = '<?php echo $consultation_start;?>';
consultend = '<?php echo $consultation_end;?>';
//alert(consultdate);
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: 'user_date-time_qry.php',
cache: false,
dataType : "text",
data: {consultdate : consultdate, userid : userid, cat : cat, timezone : timezone, consultstart : consultstart, consultend: consultend },
success: function(data)
{
if (!$('input#consulttime').data("set")) {
alert(data);
var result = $.parseJSON(data);
$("input#consulttime").val('');
$('input#consulttime').prop("disabled", false);
$('input#consulttime').timepicker('remove').timepicker({'timeFormat': 'h:i A','disableTextInput': true, 'minTime':result[0] ,'maxTime': '<?php echo $consultation_end; ?>','step': 15,'disableTimeRanges':result[1]});
}
},
error : function() {
alert("Error while loading data");
}
});
});
</script>
I expect var result to be an array of json encoded values, which is used in minTime as result[0] and disableTimeRanges as result[1]
The relevant portion of user_date-time_qry.php is as follows:
UPDATED: user_date-time_qry.php
$consultation_start = '"'.$consultation_start. '"';
$consult_time_UTC = '['.implode(',',$consult_time_UTC).']';
$prebooked_time_UTC = $consult_time_UTC ; //require format as ['8.30 AM', '8.45 AM'], ['12:15 PM', '12:30 PM']
echo $result = array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC);
$result = array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC);
foreach ($result as $results) {
echo $results;
}
In console
Getting value as "06:00 PM"[]
"06:00 PM" is value 1 && [] is value 2. How to get it as separate values in ajax response ?
Update:
Since i am unable to comprehend it, trying another solution with 2 ajax calls. Thanks for all the feedback anyway.

Answer 1

Change this line
echo $result = array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC);
to this
$result = array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC);
echo json_encode($result);
Actually to get data in JSON format in PHP you can just store all the data in an array and use json_encode function to convert them.

Answer 2

The issue is here:
echo $result = array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC);
you cannot echo an array, instead you have to use json_encode like:
echo json_encode(array($consultation_start, $prebooked_time_UTC));
and do not wrap the values in quotes like:
'"'.$consultation_start. '"'

Answer 3

simple way:--
The data is coming back as the string representation of the JSON and you aren't converting it back to a JavaScript object. Set the dataType to just 'json' to have it converted automatically.
Example Like:--
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: 'user_date-time_qry.php',
cache: false,
dataType : "json",
data: {consultdate : consultdate, userid : userid, cat : cat, timezone : timezone, consultstart : consultstart, consultend: consultend },
success: function(data)
{
//ENTER CODE
},
error : function() {
alert("Error while loading data");
}
});

Answer 4

Anoter example using this way:--
user_date-time_qry.php file all convert into json format using below example all array convert into json format using this way:--
<?php
$marks = array(
"mohammad" => array (
"physics" => 35,
"maths" => 30,
"chemistry" => 39
),
"qadir" => array (
"physics" => 30,
"maths" => 32,
"chemistry" => 29
),
"zara" => array (
"physics" => 31,
"maths" => 22,
"chemistry" => 39
)
);
echo json_encode($marks);
?>
These respone provide (ALL DATA CONVERT INTO JSON FORMAT):--
{"mohammad":{"physics":35,"maths":30,"chemistry":39},"qadir":{"physics":30,"maths":32,"chemistry":29},"zara":{"physics":31,"maths":22,"chemistry":39}}