# .serializeArray()

Categories: Forms | Ajax > Helper Functions

## .serializeArray() Returns: Array

Description: Encode a set of form elements as an array of names and values.

- #### version added: 1.2.serializeArray()

The `.serializeArray()` method creates a JavaScript array of objects, ready to be encoded as a JSON string. It operates on a jQuery object representing a set of form elements. The form elements can be of several types:

    <form>
      <div><input type="text" name="a" value="1" id="a" /></div>
      <div><input type="text" name="b" value="2" id="b" /></div>
      <div><input type="hidden" name="c" value="3" id="c" /></div>
      <div>
        <textarea name="d" rows="8" cols="40">4</textarea>
      </div>
      <div><select name="e">
        <option value="5" selected="selected">5</option>
        <option value="6">6</option>
        <option value="7">7</option>
      </select></div>
      <div>
        <input type="checkbox" name="f" value="8" id="f" />
      </div>
      <div>
        <input type="submit" name="g" value="Submit" id="g" />
      </div>
    </form>

The `.serializeArray()` method uses the standard W3C rules for successful controls to determine which elements it should include; in particular the element cannot be disabled and must contain a `name` attribute. No submit button value is serialized since the form was not submitted using a button. Data from file select elements is not serialized.

This method can act on a jQuery object that has selected individual form elements, such as `<input>`, `<textarea>`, and `<select>`. However, it is typically easier to select the `<form>` tag itself for serialization:

    $('form').submit(function() {
      console.log($(this).serializeArray());
      return false;
    });

This produces the following data structure (provided that the browser supports `console.log`):

    [
      {
        name: "a",
        value: "1"
      },
      {
        name: "b",
        value: "2"
      },
      {
        name: "c",
        value: "3"
      },
      {
        name: "d",
        value: "4"
      },
      {
        name: "e",
        value: "5"
      }
    ]

### Example:

#### Get the values from a form, iterate through them, and append them to a results display.

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html>
    <head>
      <style>
      body, select { font-size:14px; }
      form { margin:5px; }
      p { color:red; margin:5px; }
      b { color:blue; }
      </style>
      <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.7rc2.js"></script>
    </head>
    <body>
      <p><b>Results:</b> <span id="results"></span></p>

      <form>
        <select name="single">
          <option>Single</option>
          <option>Single2</option>

        </select>
        <select name="multiple" multiple="multiple">
          <option selected="selected">Multiple</option>
          <option>Multiple2</option>

          <option selected="selected">Multiple3</option>
        </select><br/>
        <input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check1" id="ch1"/>

        <label for="ch1">check1</label>
        <input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check2" checked="checked" id="ch2"/>

        <label for="ch2">check2</label>
        <input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio1" checked="checked" id="r1"/>

        <label for="r1">radio1</label>
        <input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio2" id="r2"/>

        <label for="r2">radio2</label>
      </form>
    <script>

        function showValues() {
          var fields = $(":input").serializeArray();
          $("#results").empty();
          jQuery.each(fields, function(i, field){
            $("#results").append(field.value + " ");
          });
        }

        $(":checkbox, :radio").click(showValues);
        $("select").change(showValues);
        showValues();
    </script>

    </body>
    </html>

#### Demo: