PHP array custom format - php

Question

I am just starting on the PHP.
I am working on getting information from WordPress database.
The plugin writes data to a DB, from the Sign up form.
What I want is to get this data formatted on my own way, let's say a table, on a separate page.
So what I did already, is to connect to a DB, and print the data. Did it by this:
<?php
//connect to the database
mysql_connect ("host","user","pasw") or die ('Cannot connect to MySQL: ' . mysql_error());
mysql_select_db ("database") or die ('Cannot connect to the database: ' . mysql_error());
//query
$query = mysql_query("select id, data from wp_ninja_forms_subs") or die ('Query is invalid: ' . mysql_error());
//write the results
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)) {
echo $row['id'] . " " . $row['data'] . "
";
// close the loop
}
?>
The thing is, that I get the results, which doesn't really suit me:
14 a:4:{i:0;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:2;s:10:"user_value";s:8:"John Doe";}i:1;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:4;s:10:"user_value";s:11:"[phone]";}i:2;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:12;s:10:"user_value";s:9:"Company 1";}i:3;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:8;s:10:"user_value";a:1:{i:0;s:13:" Finansiniai ";}}} 15 a:4:{i:0;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:2;s:10:"user_value";s:10:"Bill Gates";}i:1;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:4;s:10:"user_value";s:11:"[phone]";}i:2;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:12;s:10:"user_value";s:9:"Company 2";}i:3;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:8;s:10:"user_value";a:1:{i:0;s:13:" ?vaizd˛io ";}}} 16 a:4:{i:0;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:2;s:10:"user_value";s:7:"Person3";}i:1;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:4;s:10:"user_value";s:7:"6463213";}i:2;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:12;s:10:"user_value";s:9:"Company 3";}i:3;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:8;s:10:"user_value";a:2:{i:0;s:10:" HTML/CSS ";i:1;s:12:" Photoshop ";}}} 17 a:4:{i:0;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:2;s:10:"user_value";s:11:"Pretty Girl";}i:1;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:4;s:10:"user_value";s:9:"643122131";}i:2;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:12;s:10:"user_value";s:4:"Zara";}i:3;a:2:{s:8:"field_id";i:8;s:10:"user_value";a:1:{i:0;s:13:" ?vaizd˛io ";}}}
Now, what I want to see is a table:
2013.10.25 Pretty Girl 643122131 Zara Įvaizdžio
2013.10.25 Person3 6463213 Company 3 HTML/CSS , Photoshop
2013.10.25 Bill Gates [phone] Company 2 Įvaizdžio
2013.10.25 John Doe [phone] Company 1 Finansiniai
Could someone tell me, how to achieve that?
I believe, that my data output is an array, or am I wrong about it too?
If yes, maybe someone could give me an example how to format one part of that array, so I could do the rest?
Or even some hint on what to google for?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Use "\n" for new line character :)
Your individual values (a:4:{i:0....}) have been "serialized". This one was an array of four elements that was passed to the serialize() PHP function. The function returned it's textual representation (i.e. it has "serialized" the array). So you have the entire array saved in one cell in database as simple text.
Function unserialize() does the opposite - turns the "serialized" (text) values and returns the original PHP object (an array in this case).
You can serialize almost any PHP object as long as it doesn't have some any "resources" attached to it. But there is already a separate question for that: What could cause a failure in PHP serialize function?
As long as you serialize arrays of numbers, strings and arrays and even simple objects there is nothing to worry about.
Your first cell (no 14) when unserilalized:
array (
0 =>
array (
'field_id' => 2,
'user_value' => 'John Doe',
),
1 =>
array (
'field_id' => 4,
'user_value' => '[phone]',
),
2 =>
array (
'field_id' => 12,
'user_value' => 'Company 1',
),
3 =>
array (
'field_id' => 8,
'user_value' =>
array (
0 => ' Finansiniai ',
),
),
)
(Using: http://www.functions-online.com/unserialize.html) Run these trough a for loop or something to get the rendering you need, that's up to you.