php array to external page using jquery

Question

I have a php page to creates a multi-dimentional array called $results.

I would like to:

catch submit of a form button
override default behavior of the submit using jQuery
copy and process $results on separate php using $.post

I have this which is not currently working and am not sure why?:

<form id='download_to_excel' method="post">
    <input type="image" name="submit" value="submit" id='xls_download_button' src='images/common/buttons/download.png'> 
</form>

<?php 
    $json_results = json_encode($results);
?>

<script type='text/javascript'>
    $(document).ready(function(){ 
        alert($json_results);
        $("#xls_download_button").click(function(e){ 
            alert('clicked');
            e.preventDefault(); 
            download_xls(); 
        }); 

        function download_xls(){
            $.post('./libs/common/export_data_to_excel.php', {json_data : json_results};
        }
    }); 
</script>

When selecting the xls_download_button, the alert() never fires nor does any data get passed to export_data_to_excel.php

The export_data_to_excel.php file has the following:

<?php 
$results = json_decode($_POST['json_data']);
#include the export-xls.class.php file
require_once('export-xls.class.php');
$date = date('Y-m-d');
$filename = "contacts_search_$date.xls"; // The file name you want any resulting file to be called.
#create an instance of the class
$xls = new ExportXLS($filename, $results);
#lets set some headers for top of the spreadsheet
$header = "Searched Contact Results"; // single first col text
$xls->addHeader($header);
#add blank line
$header = null;
$xls->addHeader($header);
$header = null;
$row = null;
foreach($results as $outer){
   // header row
   foreach($outer as $key => $value){
     $header[] = $key; 
   }
  // Data Rows
  foreach($outer as $key => $value){
    $row[] = $value;
  }
  $xls->addRow($header);//add header to xls body
  $header = null;
  $xls->addRow($row); //add data to xls body 
  $row = null;
} 
# You can return the xls as a variable to use with;
# $sheet = $xls->returnSheet();
#
# OR
#
# You can send the sheet directly to the browser as a file 
#
$xls->sendFile();
?>

I do know that the $json_results does display proper JSON encoded values when echoed. But from there are not sure why the rest of the javascript does not run; the alerts never fire nor does the JSON data get passed?

Can you see why this isn't working?

bcmcfc · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-02 16:57:37Z

1

Your PHP-supplied json is not stored as a javascript variable in your js.

$(document).ready(function(){ 
    var json_results = <?php echo $json_results; ?>;

...

answered Dec 2, 2011 at 16:57

bcmcfc

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Comments

Blender · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-02 16:58:38Z

1

This code shouldn't run:

function download_xls(){
$.post('./libs/common/export_data_to_excel.php', {json_data : json_results};
}

It is invalid (the ; doesn't belong there). Try this code:

function download_xls(){
  $.post('./libs/common/export_data_to_excel.php', {json_data : json_results});
}

answered Dec 2, 2011 at 16:58

Blender

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5 Comments

ServerStorm Over a year ago

Thanks @Blender, I changed this as you suggested... Looking in firebug the json_data is set however nothing seems to happen when it pushes it to the export_data_to_excel.php. I have checked the file path and it is correct. I tried doing $results = json_decode($_POST['json_data']); and don't get anything? any thoughts?

Blender Over a year ago

How can you tell that you aren't getting anything back? Your PHP file doesn't return anything.

ServerStorm Over a year ago

Unfortunately, because I am a new user I can't answer with a post but the export_data_to_excel.php is supposed to use the ajax passed data and create an excel file with it; nothing happens though.

ServerStorm Over a year ago

var_dump($results) in export_data_to_excel.php doesn't dump the variable to screen, but then again, I don't know if this should being asynchronisly called or not?

ServerStorm Over a year ago

I added the full code that is in the export_data_to_excel.php file in the original post; it let me do that at least. This part of the script doesn't seem to run or throw any errors?

Cyclonecode · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-08 20:57:53Z

1

Right now you are just setting a php variable called $results you need to transfear it to you javascript.

<script type="text/javascript">
// set javascript variable from php
var $results = "<?php echo json_decode($json_data); ?>";
</script>

edited May 8, 2016 at 20:57

answered Dec 2, 2011 at 16:58

Cyclonecode

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Comments

Nicola Peluchetti · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-02 16:57:57Z

0

For sure you have an error in your javascript code (you were not closing the parenthesis after $.post), should be:

$(document).ready(function() {
    alert($json_results);
    $("#xls_download_button").click(function(e) {
        alert('clicked');
        e.preventDefault();
        download_xls();
    });

    function download_xls() {
        $.post('./libs/common/export_data_to_excel.php', {
            json_data: json_results
        });
    }
});

Then you should assign your JSON to a javascript variable inside document.ready

$(document).ready(function() {
    var json_results = <?php   echo($json_results);?>;

answered Dec 2, 2011 at 16:57

Nicola Peluchetti

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3 Comments

ServerStorm Over a year ago

I changed it as your recommended and now the alert('clicked'); runs but it doesn't seem that the export_data_to_excel.php runs as the $.post() does not seem to work? Is Viruzzo correct that I can't pass it this way?

Nicola Peluchetti Over a year ago

@ServerStorm i'm sorry i'm going home, look at what blender wrote. You can pass the variables from php to javascript, no problem

ServerStorm Over a year ago

Thank for all the help! Still not working but I am trying my best to debug!

Viruzzo · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-02 16:58:25Z

0

You can't pass a PHP variable to the JavaScript like that: there live in totally different worlds. Use Ajax to get the JSON data from JS.

answered Dec 2, 2011 at 16:58

Viruzzo

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3 Comments

ServerStorm Over a year ago

Others seem to contradict your comment see @Nicola Peluchetti comments. Thanks for your response though.

Viruzzo Over a year ago

Actually, they don't: $json_results = json_encode($results); is not sufficient because the variable is only present in PHP's scope; with this var json_results = <?php echo($json_results); ?>; you are "exporting" it to JavaScript by printing it in the HTML page (that is, client-side where JS is executed). While you can do this and not use Ajax, it's a worse solution since you are embedding you whole JSON inside the HTML page received by the broser: more bandwith usage (possibly), no caching, may break depending on content.

ServerStorm Over a year ago

I see. Sorry for misunderstanding! I get your explanation however am unclear how to do what you suggest. I am looking at many examples on the web and hopefully I will see one that does what you suggest. Regards Steve

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