Preventing array from selecting duplicate values

Question

I currently have a piece of code that is selecting random values from an array but I would like to prevent it from selecting duplicate values. How can I achieve this? This is my code so far:

$facilities = array("Blu-ray DVD Player","Chalk board","Computer", "Projector",
"Dual data projector", "DVD/Video");

for($j = 0; $j < rand(1, 3); $j++)
   {
    $fac =  print $facilities[array_rand($facilities, 1)] . '<br>'; 
   }

Baba · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-06 12:21:16Z

5

I think you should look at array_rand

$facilities = array("Blu-ray DVD Player","Chalk board","Computer","Data projector","Dual data projector","DVD/Video");
$rand = array_rand($facilities, 2);
                                ^----- Number of values you want 

foreach ( $rand as $key ) {
    print($facilities[$key] . "<br />");
}

answered Nov 6, 2012 at 12:21

Baba

95.3k29 gold badges172 silver badges222 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

methuselah Over a year ago

Why won't it work with array_rand($facilities, 1);. I've tried $rand = array_rand($facilities, rand(1, 3)); but it doesn't work

Baba Over a year ago

echo $facilities[array_rand($facilities)] ; that is how to get only one element

salathe · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-06 12:21:54Z

2

You can return multiple random keys from array_rand() by specifying the number to return as the second parameter.

$keys = (array) array_rand($facilities, rand(1, 3));
shuffle($keys); // array_rand() returns keys unshuffled as of 5.2.10

foreach ($keys as $key) {
    echo $facilities[$key] . '<br>';
}

answered Nov 6, 2012 at 12:21

salathe

52.1k12 gold badges108 silver badges134 bronze badges

1 Comment

deceze Over a year ago

The only thing worth pointing out is that this will fail ungracefully if rand(1, 3) is 1.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Preventing array from selecting duplicate values

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related