PHP Manual . ... string serialize ( mixed value) . ... 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. ...