php-doc-en/reference/var/functions/serialize.xml
Jakub Vrana 34ebe16c9f Doesn't work with built-in objects (bug #30323)
__sleep() works since 4.0.7


git-svn-id: https://svn.php.net/repository/phpdoc/en/trunk@172271 c90b9560-bf6c-de11-be94-00142212c4b1
2004-11-08 15:01:34 +00:00

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<!-- $Revision: 1.10 $ -->
<!-- splitted from ./en/functions/var.xml, last change in rev 1.28 -->
<refentry id="function.serialize">
<refnamediv>
<refname>serialize</refname>
<refpurpose>
Generates a storable representation of a value
</refpurpose>
</refnamediv>
<refsect1>
<title>Description</title>
<methodsynopsis>
<type>string</type><methodname>serialize</methodname>
<methodparam><type>mixed</type><parameter>value</parameter></methodparam>
</methodsynopsis>
<simpara>
<function>serialize</function> returns a string containing a
byte-stream representation of <parameter>value</parameter> that
can be stored anywhere.
</simpara>
<simpara>
This is useful for storing or passing PHP values around without
losing their type and structure.
</simpara>
<simpara>
To make the serialized string into a PHP value again, use
<function>unserialize</function>. <function>serialize</function>
handles all types, except the <type>resource</type>-type.
You can even <function>serialize</function> arrays that contain
references to itself. References inside the array/object you
are <function>serialize</function>ing will also be stored.
</simpara>
<simpara>
When serializing objects, PHP will attempt to call the member function
<function>__sleep</function> prior to serialization. This is to allow the
object to do any last minute clean-up, etc. prior to being serialized.
Likewise, when the object is restored using <function>unserialize</function>
the <function>__wakeup</function> member function is called.
</simpara>
<note>
<simpara>
This didn't work correctly until 4.0.7.
</simpara>
</note>
<note>
<para>
In PHP 3, object properties will be serialized, but methods are
lost. That limitation was removed in PHP 4 as both properties
and methods are now restored. Please see the <link
linkend="language.oop.serialization">Serializing Objects</link>
section of <link linkend="language.oop">Classes and
Objects</link> for more information.
</para>
<para>
It is not possible to serialize PHP built-in objects.
</para>
</note>
<para>
<example>
<title><function>serialize</function> example</title>
<programlisting role="php">
<![CDATA[
<?php
// $session_data contains a multi-dimensional array with session
// information for the current user. We use serialize() to store
// it in a database at the end of the request.
$conn = odbc_connect("webdb", "php", "chicken");
$stmt = odbc_prepare($conn,
"UPDATE sessions SET data = ? WHERE id = ?");
$sqldata = array (serialize($session_data), $PHP_AUTH_USER);
if (!odbc_execute($stmt, &$sqldata)) {
$stmt = odbc_prepare($conn,
"INSERT INTO sessions (id, data) VALUES(?, ?)");
if (!odbc_execute($stmt, &$sqldata)) {
/* Something went wrong.. */
}
}
?>
]]>
</programlisting>
</example>
</para>
<para>
See Also: <function>unserialize</function>.
</para>
</refsect1>
</refentry>
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