random select issue

[SeenGee]

i have used the following piece of php code to select a random image from a mysql database to display on my site, adding to its completely dynamic nature. i have had problems with my server people though who refuse to install mysql and instead use access. i was wondering then if there is a way to make a random selection like this but just from a specified folderand without a database backend.

	  function random_art(){

$result = mysql_query ("select * from graphics");
if (!$result) {    
echo("<P>Error performing query: " .         
mysql_error() . "</P>");    
exit();  }

$total = mysql_num_rows($result);
$lucky = rand(1,$total);

 $result = mysql_query ("select * from graphics where id=$lucky");
if (!$result) {    
echo("<P>Error finding lucky image: " .         
mysql_error() . "</P>");    
exit();  }


  echo '
  <table width="170" height="120" border="2" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
    <tr> 
      <td height="20" background="images/grad grey-blue.jpg" align="center">Random Artwork 
        from ph1</td>
    </tr>
    <tr> 
      <td height="100" bgcolor="#EAEAEA">';

		/* Display each random image ------------------------------------------------------------------- */  

while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) ) 
{    
echo("<a href=\"new_records.php?click=images\"><img src=\"images/" . $row["filename"] . "\" border=\"0\" height=\"100\" width=\"170\" alt=\"CLICK 2 SEE OUR GALLERY!\" /></a>"); 
}

   echo '
		  </td>
        </tr>
      </table>
	  ';
	  }

cheers.

[trooper]

Hi there

What you'd be best looking for is javascript random image selector

That'll bypass the problem

Question - if your hosting company don't provide what you want why are you with em ? - Bin em and find another is my advice

HTH

GM

[laserlight]

You could do that with PHP too.

If the file conists only of the images and say, an index.html file, you could simply get the filenames of the files in that directory into an array, remove the index file, use the pseudorandom number generator like you did with your current script.

[trooper]

But why goto the server to do something that is easily done on the client ?

😃

GM

[Natty_Dreadlock]

because u do not have to keep some list up-to-date. php can simply get all files in one array, so in order to add some picture, just upload it to your image folder...
Besides, not all clients have javascript enabled so doing it on the server is in my opinion the better idea.
For a basic introduction into how to read a dir's content, read http://de.php.net/opendir .
hth