PHP array output to a javascript function

Question

I am trying to connect a database with php and display result dynamically using javascript. Here's What i am trying to do -

<?php
function mainMenu($q){
$res=array();;
$q->setFetchMode(PDO::FETCH_NUM);   
while($r = $q->fetch()){
    array_push($res, "
    <li>
       <a class='gn-icon ".mysql_real_escape_string($r[0])."'>".mysql_real_escape_string($r[1])."
       </a>
    </li>");
}
return $res;
} ?>

Now here is the html , which definitely works

<ul id="sidemenu" class="gn-menu">
    <?php 
        $a=mainMenu($q);
        foreach ($a as $value) {
            echo $value;
        }
    ?>                       
</ul>

but when i try this -

<script> 
$('#sidemenu').html(<?php 
    $b=mainMenu($q);
            foreach ($b as $value) {
           echo "$value";
}
 ?>);
</script>

It doesnt work the, i just see blank space in my source and nothing is printed in the list, can anyone tell me where i am going wrong...

Answer 1

<?php
function mainMenu($q) {
  $res=array();
  $q->setFetchMode(PDO::FETCH_NUM);   
  while( $r = $q->fetch() ) {
    array_push($res, "<li><a class='gn-icon ".mysql_real_escape_string($r[0])."'>".mysql_real_escape_string($r[1])."</a></li>");
  }
  return $res;
} 
?>

<script> 
$('#sidemenu').html("<?=implode('',mainMenu($q))?>");
</script>

Answer 2

you need to escape the single quote in your output using "Backslash",

<a class=\'gn-icon ".mysql_real_escape_string($r[0])."\'>".mysql_real_escape_string($r[1])."   </a>

and you need use the .html like this,

.html('<?php $b=mainMenu($q); foreach ($b as $value) { echo $value;} ?>')