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# serialize

serialize -- generates a storable representation of a value

## Description

`string serialize`(mixed value);

serialize() returns a string containing a byte-stream representation of `value` that can be stored anywhere.

This is useful for storing or passing PHP values around without losing their type and structure.

To make the serialized string into a PHP value again, use unserialize(). serialize() handles the types integer, double, string, array (multidimensional) and object (object properties will be serialized, but methods are lost).

Example 1. serialize example
    // $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.  Bitch, whine and moan. */
        }
    }

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