PHP - pick random value from array?

Question

How is it possible to pick a random value with PHP from an Array?

Example:

$trees = [
    "appletree" => [
        "id" => "12378", 
        "age" => [15],
        "height" => [6]  
    ], 
    "bananatree" => [
        "id" => "344343453", 
        "age" => [16],
        "height" => [30]
    ],
    "peachtree" => [
        "id" => "34534543",
        "age" => [35],
        "height" => [4]
    ];

How would I access one of the id's randomly? I tried using

$tree_id = array_rand($trees['id']);
echo $tree_id;
echo "\r\n";

but I'm slowly hitting a wall of understanding.

There is no $trees['id']. There's $trees['appletree']['id'] and $trees['bananatree']['id']. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Aug 7, 2021 at 19:53

Barmar · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-07 19:57:12Z

2

array_rand() returns a random array key. So give it the $trees array to get a tree name, then use that to index the array and access its id property.

$random_tree = array_rand($trees);
echo $trees[$random_tree]['id'];

answered Aug 7, 2021 at 19:57

Barmar

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Comments

Crimin4L · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-07 20:03:24Z

maybe this function I created can help:

<?php
    $trees = [
        "appletree" => [
            "id" => "123", 
            "age" => [15],
            "height" => [6]  
        ], 
        "bananatree" => [
            "id" => "456", 
            "age" => [16],
            "height" => [30]
        ],
        "peachtree" => [
            "id" => "789",
            "age" => [35],
            "height" => [4]
        ] // <- you were missing this bracket
    ];
    
    function pickRand($array){
        // Create Temp array
        $temparray = [];
        
        // Iterate through all ID's and put them into out temp array
        foreach($array as $a) $temparray[] = $a['id'];
        
        // Get a random number out of the number of ID's we have
        $rand = rand(0, count($temparray) - 1);
        
        // Return Result
        return $temparray[$rand];
    }
    
    // Use Function
    echo pickRand($trees);

Live Demo: http://sandbox.onlinephpfunctions.com/code/e71dc6b07c3ec93051c69adc66b28aafe555a104

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