PHP - Random text with two strings

Question

How would I join these two strings and create random link based on the entry list.

// Add a link and the associated image //
$adlink1="http://www.****.com/sale.php";
$adlinkpic1="http://www.***-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/1.jpg";
$adlink2="http://www.*****.com/sale.php";
$adlinkpic2="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/2.jpg";
$adlink3="http://www.**.com/product.php?prodref=564_white&ref=AddSphere";
$adlinkpic3="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/3.jpg";
$adlink4="http://www.**.com/wedding-boutique.php";
$adlinkpic4="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/4.jpg";
$adlink5="http://www.**.com/made-to-measure-service.php";
$adlinkpic5="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/5.jpg";

// SHOW ONE AD LINK

srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000);
$adlink[] + $adlinkpic[] = rand(0,count($quotes)-1);
echo "<a href='$adlink'><img src='$adlinkpic' />";

// SHOW TWO AD LINKS /cannot be same

// code here

I thing, He is trying to get random image & link from listed links. is it correct ? — Siva Karuppiah
– Siva Karuppiah, Commented Feb 1, 2012 at 11:06

Salman Arshad · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-01 11:06:29Z

3

It is easy to put all of your links in an (associative) array then use array functions to manipulate them:

<?php
$ad = array(
    array(
        "url" => "http://www.****.com/sale.",
        "img" => "http://www.***-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/1.jpg"
    ),
    array(
        "url" => "http://www.*****.com/sale.",
        "img" => "http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/2.jpg"
    ),
    array(
        "url" => "http://www.**.com/product.php",
        "img" => "http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/3.jpg"
    ),
    array(
        "url" => "http://www.**.com/wedding-boutique.",
        "img" => "http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/4.jpg"
    ),
    array(
        "url" => "http://www.**.com/made-to-measure-service.",
        "img" => "http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/5.jpg"
    )
    // more ads
);

$id = array_rand($ad); // choose a random index from the array
echo "<a href=\"{$ad[$id]['url']}\"><img src=\"{$ad[$id]['img']}\" /></a>\n";
unset($ad[$id]);       // remove the chosen one so that it is not displayed on next pass

$id = array_rand($ad);
echo "<a href=\"{$ad[$id]['url']}\"><img src=\"{$ad[$id]['img']}\" /></a>\n";
unset($ad[$id]);

answered Feb 1, 2012 at 11:06

Salman Arshad

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4 Comments

PiTheNumber Over a year ago

Nice, but you should make a loop around the echo block instead of copy paste.

TheBlackBenzKid Over a year ago

thanks really nice. although loop would have been better but I like it. Repped both

Salman Arshad Over a year ago

Sure; just wrap the three lines inside a loop that runs twice. I separated them assuming that the ads might need to be displayed on two separate locations on the page.

TheBlackBenzKid Over a year ago

I am not using a loop but future people I recommend the code below (just loop the loop part) this is some nice code actually and I thank you very much!

Nick · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-01 11:10:20Z

1

I'd be tempted to do it something like this:

<?php
  // Add a link and the associated image //
  $adlink1="http://www.****.com/sale.php";
  $adlinkpic1="http://www.***-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/1.jpg";
  $adlink2="http://www.*****.com/sale.php";
  $adlinkpic2="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/2.jpg";
  $adlink3="http://www.**.com/product.php?prodref=564_white&ref=AddSphere";
  $adlinkpic3="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/3.jpg";
  $adlink4="http://www.**.com/wedding-boutique.php";
  $adlinkpic4="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/4.jpg";
  $adlink5="http://www.**.com/made-to-measure-service.php";
  $adlinkpic5="http://www.**-cdn.com/blogAssets/ad/5.jpg";

  $links = array();
  $links[0]=array('link'=>$adlink1,'pic'=>$adlinkpic1);
  $links[1]=array('link'=>$adlink2,'pic'=>$adlinkpic2);
  $links[2]=array('link'=>$adlink3,'pic'=>$adlinkpic3);
  $links[3]=array('link'=>$adlink4,'pic'=>$adlinkpic4);
  $links[4]=array('link'=>$adlink5,'pic'=>$adlinkpic5);

  $alreadyAdded=array();
  for ($i=0;$i<2;$i++) {
    $added = false;
    while (!$added) {
      // generate random number
      $rand = mt_rand(0,4);
      if (!in_array($rand,$alreadyAdded)) {
        echo "<a href='".$links[$rand]['link']."'><img src='".$links[$rand]['pic']."' />";
        $added = true;
        $alreadyAdded[]=$rand;
      }
    }
  }

Edit: noticed you wanted more than 1 outputted, updated code to reflect.

edited Feb 1, 2012 at 11:10

answered Feb 1, 2012 at 11:05

Nick

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2 Comments

Barry Chapman Over a year ago

Don't forget to unset that variable from the array of items so that it doesn't get re-used :)

TheBlackBenzKid Over a year ago

thanks really nice. although I went for the double array above - repped.

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