[NTLDR]

http://uk2.php.net/manual/en/function.serialize.php
http://uk2.php.net/manual/en/function.unserialize.php

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 all types, except the resource-type. You can even serialize() arrays that contain references to itself. References inside the array/object you are serialize()ing will also be stored.

Used quite alot in vB3, the majority of the stuff in the datastore table is serailized.