How to use a PHP variable as an iframe src?

Question

I have scoured google with this question and read through many articles, tutorials, PHP guides and other peoples questions. But not a single solution has worked for me so far. I know it must be something simple.

This is my code:

<?php
$random=array_rand("http://www.mentor-distribution.com/media/gmaster_header.mp4", "http://www.mentor-distribution.com/media/hs_freedom_chair.mp4");
?>


<html>
<body>
<iframe width="320" height="187" frameborder="0" src="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($random); ?>"></iframe>
</body>
</html>

But this is how it appears on inspect element: Chrome's inspect element output

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

php.net/manual/en/function.error-reporting.php

Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner

2017-01-06 15:51:36 +00:00
Commented Jan 6, 2017 at 15:51 — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented Jan 6, 2017 at 15:51

Daan Meijer · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-06 15:54:48Z

1

Your array_rand call is wrong. Use:

<?php
$array = [
    "http://www.mentor-distribution.com/media/gmaster_header.mp4",
    "http://www.mentor-distribution.com/media/hs_freedom_chair.mp4"
];
$randomIndex = array_rand($array);
$random = $array[$randomIndex];
?>

The documentation (http://php.net/array_rand) states that the first argument of array_rand should be an array. You provided a string.

When in doubt, be paranoid. Check if every variable has the value you expect it to have, using var_dump for instance. In this case you would have discovered that $random wasn't set to a valid url.

One final note is that I would refrain from using <iframe>s as video players. Look into the HTML5 <video> element, as explained on http://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_video.asp

edited Jan 6, 2017 at 15:54

answered Jan 6, 2017 at 15:50

Daan Meijer

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4 Comments

Carl Piper Over a year ago

Thanks for the near instant reply. the iframe is now loading but the iframe src is now displaying as either a 0 or a 1 when loaded and not one of the url's. which means it returns a 404 error inside the iframe.

Daan Meijer Over a year ago

You are right. array_rand returns a random index. I'll edit my answer accordingly.

Carl Piper Over a year ago

thanks for the advice, i would love to use <video> tags but i can use the as something on our Magento store blocks them, the store was setup before i began working here so i dont know why it happens.

Daan Meijer Over a year ago

If my answer helped you solve the problem, please mark it as accepted for future reference :)

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