Google's Protocol Buffers [1] seem like they may be another possible alternative here. The content-type in that case would be application/x-protobuf.
The advantage here would be that the consumer wouldn't have to be written in PHP and there's no need to know the structure of your JSON object. I realize that this doesn't answer your question, but that's mainly because I don't know the answer to that question and am interested in seeing somebody try protocol buffers. -Ross. [1] http://code.google.com/apis/protocolbuffers/docs/overview.html On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 3:55 PM, Jonathan Rochkind <rochk...@jhu.edu> wrote: > Ah, but the transformation from some internal serialized format to iCal is > an added level of complexity in your software, that if you are going to need > iCal yourself eventually, you don't need. > > My experience shows me that using standard data formats, even between > modules of your internal architecture, really pays off down the line, in > many ways. Just my advice. iCal isn't really that complicated. > > While there doesn't seem to be an exact standard for iCal in JSON, even > putting iCal in JSON in your own makes-sense way would be preferable to a > custom internal format, in my opinion. Just my opinion of course. > > For your original question... I still don't have an answer, except to say > that offering serialized PHP objects on the wire seems like the wrong > solution to me, no matter what. > > Jonathan > > Cloutman, David wrote: >> >> Ultimately, I probably will create a transformation to iCal, but >> initially it isn't my goal. For internal use, I want to skip the >> intermediate type, which really more complex than what my application or >> Web site needs. >> --- >> David Cloutman <dclout...@co.marin.ca.us> >> Electronic Services Librarian >> Marin County Free Library >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:code4...@listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of >> Jonathan Rochkind >> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 11:38 AM >> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Mime type for PHP serialized objects >> >> >> If you want to publish calendar event information, you should use >> iCal/iCalendar instead of making up your own format. >> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICalendar => text/calendar >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCal => application/calendar+xml >> >> Jonathan >> >> >> Cloutman, David wrote: >> >>> >>> I have a quick question for any PHP developers out there. >>> I am writing a SOA application to manage my library's events calendar. >>> The basic idea is to create a public API that our web site or other >>> community organizations can use to query and consume information. I am >>> using JSON as the default output for information, but would like to >>> >> >> add >> >>> >>> the option of outputting native serialized PHP data structures as >>> created by the serialized() function. >>> >>> My question is, what mime type should I use for serialized PHP data? >>> >> >> The >> >>> >>> best suggestion I saw through Google was >>> >> >> application/vnd.php.serialized, >> >>> >>> which was posted as a proposal. I don't know if any standard was >>> >> >> adopted >> >>> >>> though. Has anyone else thought about this issue? >>> >>> - David >>> >>> >>> >>> --- >>> David Cloutman <dclout...@co.marin.ca.us> >>> Electronic Services Librarian >>> Marin County Free Library >>> Email Disclaimer: >>> >> >> http://www.co.marin.ca.us/nav/misc/EmailDisclaimer.cfm >> >>> >>> >> >> > > -- > Jonathan Rochkind > Digital Services Software Engineer > The Sheridan Libraries > Johns Hopkins University > 410.516.8886 rochkind (at) jhu.edu >