How to create a jqplot data array in PHP? - php

Question

I am using ajax to connect to a PHP script and then retrieve the graph coordinates needed for the jqplot jQuery graphing library.
The problem is that I am having difficulties constructing a proper PHP array that can then be converted into a jQuery array that jqplot can read.
Here is the code that retrieves the array from the PHP file:
$.ajax({
type: 'POST',
dataType: "json",
url: "behind_curtains.php",
data: {
monthSelected: month_option_selected
},
success: function (data) {
var stored_data = data;
alert(stored_data);
}
});
return stored_data;
}
Here is the code that creates the jqplot
jQuery.jqplot('chartdiv-data', [], {
title: 'Plot With Options',
dataRenderer: stored_data,
axesDefaults: {
labelRenderer: jQuery.jqplot.CanvasAxisLabelRenderer
},
axes: {
xaxis: {
label: "Day",
},
yaxis: {
label: "data"
}
}
});
If you could please help me create the proper data array in the behind_curtains.php file it would be great!
Edit 1
the graphing coordinates array should be in the form of:
[[[1,2],[3,5],[5,13]]]
and basically I need to somehow write php code that can output an array that stores data in that form.
Thanks
Solution:
*behind_curtains.php*
I put together an array that simply generates a string in the form of [[1,2],[3,5],[5,13]]. I then stored the string in a variable and echoed that variable in the form of:
echo json_encode($stored_data);
On the user side of things here is how my code looked like:
<script type="text/javascript">
$("document").ready(function() {
$.ajax({
type: 'POST',
dataType:"json",
url: "behind_curtains.php",
data: {
monthSelected: month_option_selected},
success: function(data){
var stored_data = eval(data) ;
/* generate graph! */
$.jqplot('chartdiv-weight', [stored_data], {
title: month,
axesDefaults: {
labelRenderer: jQuery.jqplot.CanvasAxisLabelRenderer
},
axes: {
xaxis: {
label: "Day",
},
yaxis: {
label: "data"
}
}
});
}
});
}
}});</script>
I hope that helps, if no, whoever is interested please let me know.

Answer 1

You can return the stored_data but you need to have it declared before the AJAX call, like shown in the bottom most example, here. You must also use: async: false otherwise you cannot return your data in this fashion. For the same reason if you like you could use getJSON() instead.
As it goes to formatting your retrieved data a similar issue I answered here. You need to build your array accordingly to represent your data.
If you can show how exactly does your JSON look like then I could give you a more precise answer.