Using php mt_rand() function

Question

Am trying to use the php mt_rand() function to produce for me a unique number to be used as a unique identifier for a row in the database. Can it pick a number it had previously picked from the range 1, 1000000. My code is as follows echo mt_rand(1, 1000000);?> Thanks for your continued help

yes it can. what is wrong with mysql primary key as auto-increment? — pinkal vansia
– pinkal vansia, Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 13:38
I definitely wouldn't recommend using any kind of rand( ) to mimic a serialization of a database index. auto-increment is the way to go — Alexei Darmin
– Alexei Darmin, Commented Jul 27, 2015 at 13:41

Jessica · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-27 13:38:03Z

4

Yes, it will produce duplicates. It's just random, not unique. The easiest solution is to use an auto-increment column. If you don't want it to be sequential, you have a couple options. These are the two I would look at first:

https://github.com/ramsey/uuid

http://php.net/manual/en/function.uniqid.php

answered Jul 27, 2015 at 13:38

Jessica

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