Question

Random includes on a single page in various table cells.

Asked by: sluggo

Not familiar with PHP, I would like to make a page that has random content.  Example: In a table the top left cell will have an article in it that is randomly selected.  The includes are A1_01.htm, A1_02.htm, A1_03.htm, etc.  The top right cell may have B1_01.htm through B1_06.htm included.  The include pages will be in a folder "pagename_inc".

I would like to be able to have a function to call the random include and the number of pages to choose from.  Example, I may have A1_01.htm through A1_10.htm available for one include BUT B1_01.htm through B1_41.htm for another.  I want to be able to set that variable in the parent page in case I want to add/delete pages in the future.

Thanks,
Doug

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Asked On
2003-07-09 at 06:43:44ID20673061
Topics

PHP Scripting Language

,

Server Side Includes (SSI)

Participating Experts
4
Points
125
Comments
15

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Answers

 

by: VGRPosted on 2003-07-09 at 07:13:45ID: 8885558

<?php
function includerand($directory,$prefix,$number) {
  $i=rand(0,$number); // returns integer in [0 ... $number]
  if (strlen($i)<2) $i="0$i";
  $thefile="{$prefix}_$i.htm";
  include("$directory/$thefile");
} // includerand Procedure

includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
?>

 

by: snarkadorPosted on 2003-07-09 at 07:16:49ID: 8885590

Okay, how about:

<?php

// Create arrays that are the same size as the highest numbered page in each section (10 and 41 respectively)
$a1_pages = array_pad(array(), 10, 0);
$b1_pages = array_pad(array(), 41, 0);

// Choose a random number from the array and str_pad it to put leading zeroes on the single digits
$a1_include = "A1_" . str_pad(rand(1, count($a1_pages)), 2, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT) . ".htm";
$b1_include = "B1_" . str_pad(rand(1, count($b1_pages)), 2, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT) . ".htm";

?>

<table>
  <tr>
    <td><?php include($a1_include); ?></td>
    <td><?php include($b1_include); ?></td>
  </tr>
</table>

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 07:28:25ID: 8885696

VGR... having VB background, it seems a function would be a better approach.  Bear with me...

<?php
function includerand($directory,$prefix,$number) {
 $i=rand(1,$number); // returns integer in [0 ... $number]
  if (strlen($i)<2) $i="0$i";
 $thefile="{$prefix}_$i.htm";
 include("$directory/$thefile");
} // includerand Procedure

includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
?>

In this example
includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
would return
include("pagename_inc/A_0$i.htm"); where $i is the random number, correct?  

If my prefix is 'A1' and there are 20 pages, I would write in the cell:
<td><?php includerand('pagename_inc','A1',20); ?></td>

Would I put the function in the header to be called in multiple parts of the page?
Like:
<html>
<head>
<title>The Page</title>
<?php
function includerand($directory,$prefix,$number) {
 $i=rand(1,$number); // returns integer in [0 ... $number]
  if (strlen($i)<2) $i="0$i";
 $thefile="{$prefix}_$i.htm";
 include("$directory/$thefile");
} // includerand Procedure

includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
includerand('pagename_inc','A',6);
?>
</head>
<body>
<table>
 <tr>
   <td><?php includerand('pagename_inc','A1',20); ?></td>
 </tr>
</table>
</html>

And call the page pagename.php?

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 07:37:25ID: 8885789

<html>
<head>
<title>The Page</title>
<?php
function includerand($directory,$prefix,$number) {
$i=rand(1,$number); // returns integer in [0 ... $number]
  if (strlen($i)<2) $i="0$i";
$thefile="{$prefix}_$i.htm";
include("$directory/$thefile");
} // includerand Procedure
?>
</head>
<body>
<table>
<tr>
  <td><?php includerand('pagename_inc','A1',20); ?></td>
</tr>
</table>
</html>

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 07:38:24ID: 8885798

Just curious... not needed for points, but could PHP read how many files are in the directory and adjust automatically?

 

by: shmertPosted on 2003-07-09 at 08:39:02ID: 8886337

The problem with the methods above is, if you've got 41 files, and you decide to delete #30, you're left with a hole in your sequence, and the function may try to include() a file that doesn't exist.

Use this method to scan the directory first.  Not as fast as knowing the number ahead of time, but less worry about maintaining the IDs and whatnot.  Adding or removing files in the directory will automatically register them for inlcusion.

<?php
function dir_contents($path, $pattern="") {
        $dir = dir($path);
        $options = array();
        while ($entry = $dir->read()) {
                if ($entry[0] == '.') continue;
                if (!empty($pattern) && !preg_match($pattern, $entry)) continue;
                $options[] = $entry;
        }
        $dir->close();
        return $options;
}

$options = dir_contents("pagename_inc", "/^A1_.*htm");
$index = mt_rand(0, count($options) - 1);
echo ("file to include: " . $options[$index]); // delete this line
include($options[$index]);
?>

 

by: VGRPosted on 2003-07-09 at 08:58:20ID: 8886481

Yes, sluggo, you used the function right IMHO.

yes, of course Php count (and ***should*** :D ) count the (.HTM) files therein... using dir() or readdir() - see online doc, examples do cover this. www.php.net

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 08:58:42ID: 8886483

You folks are incredible!  Thanks shmert, we'll be sure not to break the sequence.

 

by: VGRPosted on 2003-07-09 at 08:59:49ID: 8886493

cool, not even an assist, and preferring a sluggish regexp code :/

have fun

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:07:11ID: 8886545

OH Crap... I'm sorry VGR!.... Let me make another post for points for you.  Or is there a way to 'undo'?

 

by: sluggoPosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:08:59ID: 8886557

When I saw the some of the same syntax, I didn't realize someone else had written it.

 

by: VGRPosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:09:49ID: 8886562

no problem. Learning is a continuous work :D

 

by: coders4hirePosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:19:47ID: 8886620

It was time for me to close this account and become a Premier Service Member anyway... VGR, please respond to:
https://secure.experts-exchange.com/Web/Web_Languages/PHP/Q_20673293.html

 

by: VGRPosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:24:07ID: 8886661

do you "have to" close an account and open a second ?

 

by: shmertPosted on 2003-07-09 at 09:57:59ID: 8886904

Ha, I used subliminal coding techniques to steal more points from VGR!  He doesn't need them anyway...

Anyway, the point of my post is, you can break the sequence and it doesn't matter.  The function will scan for any files which match the pattern, and then choose a random one from the array of matching files.  As long as the file is named something like "A1_2882.htm" it will be a candidate for inclusion.  If you delete a file in the middle of the sequence, it will never try to include that file.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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