How to store array values into cookies in PHP

                      Cookies can store only string values. It can't store array values. But we are try to add array values into cookies in PHP.

Store array into cookies in php using serialize():

                           

                    Consider the following PHP script:

<?php
error_reporting('E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE');
$val=array('name'=>'Guru','country'=>'USA');
$val1=serialize($val);
setcookie('values',$val1);
?>

             Where,
                serialize() - Generate a storable values. Suppose you use above PHP code without serialize array value. Then you'll get error like this:

After serialize the array values, you can store array values into cookies using setcookie() in PHP.
Now the cookie contains array values.

Retrieve array values from cookies in PHP using unserialize():

                       

                     Consider the following example:

<?php
error_reporting('E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE');
$val=array('name'=>'Guru','country'=>'USA');
$val1=serialize($val);
setcookie('values',$val1);
$dat=$_COOKIE['values'];
$data=unserialize($dat);
foreach($data as $key => $vl)
{
   echo $key.' : '.$vl.'<br>';
}
?>

           Where,

                     unserialize() - takes serialized values and converts it into PHP value again. If you didn't use unserialize() in above PHP code, then you'll get error like this:

$_COOKIES[''] is used to retrieve values from cookies.
Now you can get array values from cookies. The output is:

                 name : Guru
                 country : USA

Store multiple values into cookies in PHP using json_encode():

                         You can also store multiple values into cookies using json_encode() method in PHP.

json_encode()  returns JSON representation of a value.  Consider the example:

<?php
$val=array('name'=>'Guru','country'=>'USA');
$ar=json_encode($val);
setcookie('cook',$ar);
?>

                      After encoded the array values, you can store it into cookies. If you use above code without json_encode(), then you'll get warning error message.

Retrieve array values from  cookies in PHP using json_decode();

                      You can retrieve array values from cookies using json_decode() like unserialize() in PHP.

json_decode()  takes JSON encoded values and convert it into PHP value again. Consider the example:

<?php
$val=array('name'=>'Guru','country'=>'USA');
$ar=json_encode($val);
setcookie('cook',$ar);
$return=$_COOKIE['cook'];
$arr=json_decode($return, true);
foreach($arr as $key1 => $values)
{
  echo $key1.' : '.$values.'<br>';
}
?>

Now you can get output like this:

        

                 name : Guru

                 country : USA

Related Post:

How to store/retrieve values in session in PHP

How to store/retrieve values in cookies in PHP

How to store/retrieve array values into session in PHP