A rather curious situation exists relative to the Internet with regards to the info available on converting non-numeric strings from PHP to JavaScript—there isn't any! Hundreds if not thousands of websites show the standard method of converting numbers from PHP to JavaScript. But here's where it gets weird. They all put forth the generality that this is simply how one converts things from PHP to JavaScript. In actual fact, it works on numbers 16 digits or less for integers and 17 or less for floating point. It rounds off after that, which JSON doesn't, in either case. But that is ALL this non-JSON PHP to JavaScript conversion method does. The standard var a = <?php echo $stringname; ?>; method does NOT work for non-numeric anything, really long numbers—floating or integer—or non-numeric or numeric arrays. We ought to know—we sure tried! For more details on what the standard method does and doesn't do compared with what JSON does, see JSON. The bottom of this JSON page shows many ways of using PHP that circumvent any need to convert anything, and in our opinion the ease of using PHP so dynamically has created in many people's minds the delusion that PHP to JavaScript conversion without JSON even with strings works great. Check out that page and read on, on this page, and see what you think. Feedback welcome!

Okay, let's look at the very UNstandard method for converting non-number strings from PHP to JavaScript which we came up with. It works for strings up to 112 characters long. We searched the Internet thoroughly and didn't find anyone who either had any idea how to do this or even recognized there was an issue. Hundreds of PHP programmers seem to feel that the standard method will work fine for non-numeric strings. Apparently, this feeling was so overwhelmingly confident that not a single one even thought to test it! And strangely enough, a lot of them used the number 10 as an example, which the standard method handles quite well. Not a single one used "foo" or "bar" or "Hello World!"—which is the usual test. Curiouser and curiouser . . . ! Do PHP programmers feel that all data are numbers? Or that the only important type of data are numbers and non-numeric strings are of no value? Or are PHP programmers utterly without curiousity? Or did they all fail 8th grade science in which it was taught that the scientific method involves testing hypotheses in order to prove them? Or were they so lacking in confidence that when they tested a non-numeric string and it failed (we use PHP 5.2), they red-facedly assumed they were simply too dumb to convert a string?

It gets worse. A few people that obviously tried and failed simply could not face their defeat, so they announced that they had succeeded, but when I tested their code, it failed miserably. Here's where it really gets bizarre. Instead of converting PHP to JavaScript, their code actually simply printed on the screen a simulation of string conversion and string array conversion, and when I tested their method and checked in JavaScript to see their wonderful conversion, there was nothing there, even though the proper JavaScript-looking strings were displayed on the screen! I couldn't believe it! This was pretense raised to a fine art. The question that had to be on everyone's mind after trying their code and watching it fail is: did they actually believe that printing some pretty text simulations on a computer screen is the same thing as converting PHP so the result is available in JavaScript?! Or was this a sham whose purpose was to play a joke on unwary visitors? The mind boggles . . .

Anyway, here's the code. First we take a string that's simply "hot" and stick it in the variable $temperature to create a PHP string variable, then we get its length with the strlen() function. Next we convert this string into an array in which each character of the string is a separate array element, using the str_split() function. If we'd added another parameter we could have made the elements be more than 1 character in length, but with no other parameter it defaults to 1. Now we build some variable names with ${$a . $i} where {} means "evaluate what's inside me" and $a . $i means concatenate these, and when you put it all together and set $a = "a", we create variables named $a0, $a1, $a2 . . . etc. The reason we do this is because in the standard conversion method that looks like <?php echo $stringname; ?>;, only simple variables are accepted without JSON, not array variables. And only numbers, not alphabetical data is allowed, because JavaScript does not speak PHP, and the type that JavaScript assumes in the standard conversion method is numeric. Non-numeric strings cause "errors on page" or syntax errors. But wait—we are sending "h" and "o" and "t" and they're not numbers. That's easy to fix with the ord() function, which takes the first character in a string and gets its ASCII number. Since the array we created is full of 1-character array values, we're in business. We convert each array element's value to ASCII and set them equal to simple string variables named $a0, $a1, $a2 . . . etc., that will be accepted in the <?php echo $stringname; ?>; conversion method.

Okay, now jump down the page until you hit the doit() function in the JavaScript section. Note that we stick the PHP variable $a0 into the JavaScript variable ao, then use the String.fromCharCode() function to get the ASCII converted back to a letter, and stick this into a string array element q[0]. We check this to see if the element we're on is the last one in the string (oh—we also converted $len to len). If it is, we run the show() function which concatenates h and o and t into "hot".

Note that we used one more variable converting algorithm than needed. There is no $a3. This would create an error except that we set $a3 = 0 while in PHP, to prevent the error. The reason we did this is in case the code is used more than once and a different string length is involved, we wanted to find out about error trapping the code for this. It turns out the code is quite fussy—PHP isn't terribly fussy and neither is JavaScript, but the combination together on a page with conversion statements containing both creates fussiness. You have to be certain that all variables referenced have been defined somewhere prior to the reference. Anyway, because of the if(len==i) code, the program flow never actually gets to the a3 line—note the return after the show() function call. The problem isn't crash and burn upon reaching a3. The problem is simply having any reference anywhere in the code to a PHP value $a3, which would throw an error if it was undefined but let's us squeak by if it's a 0, which it is.

Notice that there's also a $temp_hotter PHP string 110 characters long. It gets the same thing done to it that "hot" did. It uses doitmore() as "hot" used doit(). In PHP, $b0 to $b119 were all set to 0 to prevent errors. But in the JavaScript section, 112 conversions are in evidence, even though in this case only the first 110 ever get used. We created this string-converting routine for anyone wishing to avoid JSON during converting, but who has long non-numeric PHP strings to convert to JavaScript. JSON can convert the long string with <?php echo json_encode($temp_hotter); ?>;, by the way. But if someone has a really old PHP, are too lazy to use the JSON add-ons, cannot get their host to enable the PHP 5.2 JSON section which is enabled by default but can be disabled, or for any other reason has no PHP 5.2 JSON commands available, then the code below will be handy indeed—strip out the needed functions.

Note that the program flow is that: after the PHP variables are loaded and the results made available to the browser page's HTML and JavaScript content (since no PHP gets to the browser—only the results of PHP operations), there in no HTML in the body tag. Only JavaScript. So doit(); and doitmore(); are the only actions that are outside functions; i.e., these functions get called. After that would be the proper place to add more actions if you had them, since one assumes you converted strings for a purpose.

The only reason we used a short string and a long one as examples is to show there's no real known limit on non-JSON non-numeric string conversions.

Finally: why 224 lines of code for 112-character string conversions? Why not 2 lines in a loop? Because we believe it is impossible. We tried to use <?php echo $b"+i+"; ?>; and <?php echo $b ?>"+i+"<?php ; ?>; and a few other things to increment inside the converter code—all to no avail. But let us throw this out as a cool challenge to all comers. Who will figure out the 2-line equivalent to these 224 lines?

Try it out! PHP-to-JavaScript-String-Conversion-with-No-JSON.php

<HTML>
<HEAD>
</HEAD>
<body>
<?php

$temperatures="hot";
$len=strlen($temperatures);

echo "Convert PHP String to JavaScript String";
echo "<br><br>";
echo "PHP string value";
echo "<br><br>";
echo $temperatures;

$ar=str_split($temperatures);

$a = "a";

for($i=0; $i<$len; $i=$i+1){

${$a . $i} = ord($ar[$i]);}

echo "<br><br>";
echo $a0;
echo "<br><br>";
echo $a1;
echo "<br><br>";
echo $a2;
echo "<br><br>";

$a3="0";

$temp_hotter="now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party, the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog";

$leng=strlen($temp_hotter);

echo "<br><br>";
echo "PHP string value";
echo "<br><br>";
echo $temp_hotter;
echo "<br><br>";

$arr=str_split($temp_hotter);

$b = "b";

for($i=0; $i<120; $i=$i+1){

${$b . $i} = 0;}

for($i=0; $i<$leng; $i=$i+1){

${$b . $i} = ord($arr[$i]);}

?>

<script language="javascript">

var q=new Array();
var r=new Array();
var len = <?php echo $len; ?>;
var leng = <?php echo $leng; ?>;

function showit(){z="";
for(i=0; i<leng; i++){z=z+r[i]};
alert(z);
}

function show(){z="";
for(i=0; i<len; i++){z=z+q[i]};
alert(z);
}

doit();

doitmore();

function doit(){

i=0;

var a0=<?php echo $a0; ?>;
i=i+1;q[0]=String.fromCharCode(a0);if(len==i){show();return}
var a1=<?php echo $a1; ?>;
i=i+1;q[1]=String.fromCharCode(a1);if(len==i){show();return}
var a2=<?php echo $a2; ?>;
i=i+1;q[2]=String.fromCharCode(a2);if(len==i){show();return}
var a3=<?php echo $a3; ?>;
i=i+1;q[3]=String.fromCharCode(a3);if(len==i){show();return}
}

function doitmore(){

i=0;

var b0=<?php echo $b0; ?>;
i=i+1;r[0]=String.fromCharCode(b0);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b1=<?php echo $b1; ?>;
i=i+1;r[1]=String.fromCharCode(b1);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b2=<?php echo $b2; ?>;
i=i+1;r[2]=String.fromCharCode(b2);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b3=<?php echo $b3; ?>;
i=i+1;r[3]=String.fromCharCode(b3);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b4=<?php echo $b4; ?>;
i=i+1;r[4]=String.fromCharCode(b4);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b5=<?php echo $b5; ?>;
i=i+1;r[5]=String.fromCharCode(b5);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b6=<?php echo $b6; ?>;
i=i+1;r[6]=String.fromCharCode(b6);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b7=<?php echo $b7; ?>;
i=i+1;r[7]=String.fromCharCode(b7);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b8=<?php echo $b8; ?>;
i=i+1;r[8]=String.fromCharCode(b8);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b9=<?php echo $b9; ?>;
i=i+1;r[9]=String.fromCharCode(b9);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b10=<?php echo $b10; ?>;
i=i+1;r[10]=String.fromCharCode(b10);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b11=<?php echo $b11; ?>;
i=i+1;r[11]=String.fromCharCode(b11);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b12=<?php echo $b12; ?>;
i=i+1;r[12]=String.fromCharCode(b12);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b13=<?php echo $b13; ?>;
i=i+1;r[13]=String.fromCharCode(b13);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b14=<?php echo $b14; ?>;
i=i+1;r[14]=String.fromCharCode(b14);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b15=<?php echo $b15; ?>;
i=i+1;r[15]=String.fromCharCode(b15);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b16=<?php echo $b16; ?>;
i=i+1;r[16]=String.fromCharCode(b16);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b17=<?php echo $b17; ?>;
i=i+1;r[17]=String.fromCharCode(b17);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b18=<?php echo $b18; ?>;
i=i+1;r[18]=String.fromCharCode(b18);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b19=<?php echo $b19; ?>;
i=i+1;r[19]=String.fromCharCode(b19);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b20=<?php echo $b20; ?>;
i=i+1;r[20]=String.fromCharCode(b20);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b21=<?php echo $b21; ?>;
i=i+1;r[21]=String.fromCharCode(b21);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b22=<?php echo $b22; ?>;
i=i+1;r[22]=String.fromCharCode(b22);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b23=<?php echo $b23; ?>;
i=i+1;r[23]=String.fromCharCode(b23);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b24=<?php echo $b24; ?>;
i=i+1;r[24]=String.fromCharCode(b24);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b25=<?php echo $b25; ?>;
i=i+1;r[25]=String.fromCharCode(b25);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b26=<?php echo $b26; ?>;
i=i+1;r[26]=String.fromCharCode(b26);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b27=<?php echo $b27; ?>;
i=i+1;r[27]=String.fromCharCode(b27);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b28=<?php echo $b28; ?>;
i=i+1;r[28]=String.fromCharCode(b28);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b29=<?php echo $b29; ?>;
i=i+1;r[29]=String.fromCharCode(b29);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b30=<?php echo $b30; ?>;
i=i+1;r[30]=String.fromCharCode(b30);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b31=<?php echo $b31; ?>;
i=i+1;r[31]=String.fromCharCode(b31);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b32=<?php echo $b32; ?>;
i=i+1;r[32]=String.fromCharCode(b32);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b33=<?php echo $b33; ?>;
i=i+1;r[33]=String.fromCharCode(b33);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b34=<?php echo $b34; ?>;
i=i+1;r[34]=String.fromCharCode(b34);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b35=<?php echo $b35; ?>;
i=i+1;r[35]=String.fromCharCode(b35);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b36=<?php echo $b36; ?>;
i=i+1;r[36]=String.fromCharCode(b36);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b37=<?php echo $b37; ?>;
i=i+1;r[37]=String.fromCharCode(b37);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b38=<?php echo $b38; ?>;
i=i+1;r[38]=String.fromCharCode(b38);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b39=<?php echo $b39; ?>;
i=i+1;r[39]=String.fromCharCode(b39);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b40=<?php echo $b40; ?>;
i=i+1;r[40]=String.fromCharCode(b40);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b41=<?php echo $b41; ?>;
i=i+1;r[41]=String.fromCharCode(b41);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b42=<?php echo $b42; ?>;
i=i+1;r[42]=String.fromCharCode(b42);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b43=<?php echo $b43; ?>;
i=i+1;r[43]=String.fromCharCode(b43);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b44=<?php echo $b44; ?>;
i=i+1;r[44]=String.fromCharCode(b44);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b45=<?php echo $b45; ?>;
i=i+1;r[45]=String.fromCharCode(b45);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b46=<?php echo $b46; ?>;
i=i+1;r[46]=String.fromCharCode(b46);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b47=<?php echo $b47; ?>;
i=i+1;r[47]=String.fromCharCode(b47);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b48=<?php echo $b48; ?>;
i=i+1;r[48]=String.fromCharCode(b48);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b49=<?php echo $b49; ?>;
i=i+1;r[49]=String.fromCharCode(b49);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b50=<?php echo $b50; ?>;
i=i+1;r[50]=String.fromCharCode(b50);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b51=<?php echo $b51; ?>;
i=i+1;r[51]=String.fromCharCode(b51);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b52=<?php echo $b52; ?>;
i=i+1;r[52]=String.fromCharCode(b52);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b53=<?php echo $b53; ?>;
i=i+1;r[53]=String.fromCharCode(b53);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b54=<?php echo $b54; ?>;
i=i+1;r[54]=String.fromCharCode(b54);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b55=<?php echo $b55; ?>;
i=i+1;r[55]=String.fromCharCode(b55);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b56=<?php echo $b56; ?>;
i=i+1;r[56]=String.fromCharCode(b56);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b57=<?php echo $b57; ?>;
i=i+1;r[57]=String.fromCharCode(b57);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b58=<?php echo $b58; ?>;
i=i+1;r[58]=String.fromCharCode(b58);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b59=<?php echo $b59; ?>;
i=i+1;r[59]=String.fromCharCode(b59);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b60=<?php echo $b60; ?>;
i=i+1;r[60]=String.fromCharCode(b60);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b61=<?php echo $b61; ?>;
i=i+1;r[61]=String.fromCharCode(b61);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b62=<?php echo $b62; ?>;
i=i+1;r[62]=String.fromCharCode(b62);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b63=<?php echo $b63; ?>;
i=i+1;r[63]=String.fromCharCode(b63);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b64=<?php echo $b64; ?>;
i=i+1;r[64]=String.fromCharCode(b64);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b65=<?php echo $b65; ?>;
i=i+1;r[65]=String.fromCharCode(b65);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b66=<?php echo $b66; ?>;
i=i+1;r[66]=String.fromCharCode(b66);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b67=<?php echo $b67; ?>;
i=i+1;r[67]=String.fromCharCode(b67);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b68=<?php echo $b68; ?>;
i=i+1;r[68]=String.fromCharCode(b68);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b69=<?php echo $b69; ?>;
i=i+1;r[69]=String.fromCharCode(b69);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b70=<?php echo $b70; ?>;
i=i+1;r[70]=String.fromCharCode(b70);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b71=<?php echo $b71; ?>;
i=i+1;r[71]=String.fromCharCode(b71);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b72=<?php echo $b72; ?>;
i=i+1;r[72]=String.fromCharCode(b72);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b73=<?php echo $b73; ?>;
i=i+1;r[73]=String.fromCharCode(b73);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b74=<?php echo $b74; ?>;
i=i+1;r[74]=String.fromCharCode(b74);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b75=<?php echo $b75; ?>;
i=i+1;r[75]=String.fromCharCode(b75);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b76=<?php echo $b76; ?>;
i=i+1;r[76]=String.fromCharCode(b76);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b77=<?php echo $b77; ?>;
i=i+1;r[77]=String.fromCharCode(b77);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b78=<?php echo $b78; ?>;
i=i+1;r[78]=String.fromCharCode(b78);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b79=<?php echo $b79; ?>;
i=i+1;r[79]=String.fromCharCode(b79);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b80=<?php echo $b80; ?>;
i=i+1;r[80]=String.fromCharCode(b80);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b81=<?php echo $b81; ?>;
i=i+1;r[81]=String.fromCharCode(b81);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b82=<?php echo $b82; ?>;
i=i+1;r[82]=String.fromCharCode(b82);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b83=<?php echo $b83; ?>;
i=i+1;r[83]=String.fromCharCode(b83);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b84=<?php echo $b84; ?>;
i=i+1;r[84]=String.fromCharCode(b84);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b85=<?php echo $b85; ?>;
i=i+1;r[85]=String.fromCharCode(b85);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b86=<?php echo $b86; ?>;
i=i+1;r[86]=String.fromCharCode(b86);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b87=<?php echo $b87; ?>;
i=i+1;r[87]=String.fromCharCode(b87);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b88=<?php echo $b88; ?>;
i=i+1;r[88]=String.fromCharCode(b88);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b89=<?php echo $b89; ?>;
i=i+1;r[89]=String.fromCharCode(b89);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b90=<?php echo $b90; ?>;
i=i+1;r[90]=String.fromCharCode(b90);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b91=<?php echo $b91; ?>;
i=i+1;r[91]=String.fromCharCode(b91);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b92=<?php echo $b92; ?>;
i=i+1;r[92]=String.fromCharCode(b92);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b93=<?php echo $b93; ?>;
i=i+1;r[93]=String.fromCharCode(b93);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b94=<?php echo $b94; ?>;
i=i+1;r[94]=String.fromCharCode(b94);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b95=<?php echo $b95; ?>;
i=i+1;r[95]=String.fromCharCode(b95);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b96=<?php echo $b96; ?>;
i=i+1;r[96]=String.fromCharCode(b96);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b97=<?php echo $b97; ?>;
i=i+1;r[97]=String.fromCharCode(b97);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b98=<?php echo $b98; ?>;
i=i+1;r[98]=String.fromCharCode(b98);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b99=<?php echo $b99; ?>;
i=i+1;r[99]=String.fromCharCode(b99);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b100=<?php echo $b100; ?>;
i=i+1;r[100]=String.fromCharCode(b100);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b101=<?php echo $b101; ?>;
i=i+1;r[101]=String.fromCharCode(b101);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b102=<?php echo $b102; ?>;
i=i+1;r[102]=String.fromCharCode(b102);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b103=<?php echo $b103; ?>;
i=i+1;r[103]=String.fromCharCode(b103);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b104=<?php echo $b104; ?>;
i=i+1;r[104]=String.fromCharCode(b104);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b105=<?php echo $b105; ?>;
i=i+1;r[105]=String.fromCharCode(b105);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b106=<?php echo $b106; ?>;
i=i+1;r[106]=String.fromCharCode(b106);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b107=<?php echo $b107; ?>;
i=i+1;r[107]=String.fromCharCode(b107);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b108=<?php echo $b108; ?>;
i=i+1;r[108]=String.fromCharCode(b108);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b109=<?php echo $b109; ?>;
i=i+1;r[109]=String.fromCharCode(b109);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b110=<?php echo $b110; ?>;
i=i+1;r[110]=String.fromCharCode(b110);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b111=<?php echo $b111; ?>;
i=i+1;r[111]=String.fromCharCode(b111);if(leng==i){showit();return}
var b112=<?php echo $b112; ?>;
i=i+1;r[112]=String.fromCharCode(b112);if(leng==i){showit();return}

}


</script>
</body>
</html>