PHP

Erik Thorsson · 12-08-2004, 12:43 PM

Is there a function in PHP that can read a random line from a file into a variable?

I am trying to write a dynamic biography where the name, dates, and locations change each time you load it.

Right now I am holding the dynamic bits in text files. Or is this an application mysql would be better suited for, ultimately?

-E

Erik Thorsson · 12-08-2004, 01:33 PM

Nevermind. Found it. From: http://jerrett.liquidpulse.net/code/...on/random_line

Random Line
Using this you can call the same function multiple times on diffrent pages, or on the same page - and call diffrent files each time.

RandomLine("quotes.txt");

<?

function RandomLine($filename) {
$lines = file($filename) ;
echo $lines[array_rand($lines)] ;
}
?>

Erik Thorsson · 12-10-2004, 08:24 AM

Okay, now I've found that code, but I find myself wanting to put the random string in a variable to be used later in the text (e.g. choosing a random name at the beginning and referring to it later).

$firstname = RandomLine("bio/firstname");

...doesn't do it though. The variable ends up empty, and the line from the 'firstname' file gets printed.

Why? And how can I get the value of the string output by the RandomLine function into a variable?

-E

Cedrik · 12-10-2004, 10:31 AM

That is simple...

PHP Code:



function RandomLine($filename) { 
    $lines = file($filename) ; 
    return $lines[array_rand($lines)] ; 
} 
$firstname = RandomLine("bio/firstname"); 
echo $firstname;