Random Number Help

[dakar]

Hi,

I'm not sure whether PHP can do something like this and I need some advice.
I have a HTML page that allows user to key in any values from the keyboard and generate a random number with this value within a certain range?
I'm wondering is there a way that PHP can convert alpha or special characters to numeric values?
I'm really lost and really do appericate some advices... Thanks a lot :o)

[Anon]

what the key value has to do with the random number?

the number generated is RANDOM, it has nothing to do with the key in values, right?

srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000);
$yournumber = rand();

[dakar]

I wanted to generate a random number using the values the user key in (it can be numeric, alph and even special chars)

Btw, can the microtime() be replace with the values the user key in as a random number generator?

[Anon]

The problem with answering your question is that you give no indication of how stuff entered at the keyboard is supposed to be interpreted as the range for the random number generator.

If you mean they just enter numbers, you can (after checking they really DID enter numbers!) plug them straight into the rand() function:

rand($lowerbound,$upperbound)

You can replace the seed expression in the srand() function to something user-specified; this would allow the same sequence of random numbers to be generated on demand by re-entering the same seed value. Any integer value can be used (probably anything in the range -2³² .. 2^31-1).

[Anon]

if the value (number or characters) you key in has nothing to do with the range of the random value you want, then we don't need the key in value.

no matter what value you key in, it will create a random number anyway. in theory, this random number should not have any relations with the value you key in, otherwise it is not random number.

srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000);
$yournumber = rand();

so use a different seed number, and use rand() to create random number.

hui