[Resolved] [Resolved] Checking the string text for rotating banner

Rock2Mucho

Hey,

I'm trying to make a little random banner script but the problem is I have more banners than urls, so the best method I could think of coming up with was:

$banners[] = ('site1-img1.jpg', 'site1-img2', 'site2-img3', etc etc etc);
$urls[]= ('site1-url1', 'site2-url2');

if banners[$some_random_number] contains 'site1', the url[] is 'site 1'

if banners[$some_random_number] contains 'site2, the url[] is 'site 2'

Anyone know the coding solution for me to get this running? Thanks.

m_tt

Not sure why you want to do it that way but preg_match should do the trick.. something like this

preg_match("/site1/", $banners[rand(0,count($banners))]);

Rock2Mucho

Thanks for the quick reply! If you know a better method I'm all ears.

m_tt

You could put the banners and URLs into a single array..

$banners	= array	(
					array('Image' => "img1.jpg", 'Site' => "url1.html"),
					array('Image' => "img2.jpg", 'Site' => "url2.html"),
					array('Image' => "img3.jpg", 'Site' => "url3.html")
					);

Then just pull a random one from that array : )

Rock2Mucho

That's what my original idea was, but I have (exaggerated example for now, but it could grow) 5 sites and 50 banners, I'm more or less a PHP newbie but I was thinking that there was a better method for this scenario. I guess your's is the best (unless you have another idea).

Thanks again!
😃

majiclab

If you have access to a database, you could make a table with similar fields as m@tt mentioned.

ie:

Site              Image
url1.html         site1-image1.jpg
url1.html         site1-image2.jpg
url2.html         site2-image1.jpg
url2.html         site2-image2.jpg

Then you could just select a random entry from the table and output the URL/image.

But that's only if you have access to a database. Otherwise, I like m@tt's idea, even if you have that many sites/images, I find arrays to be a nice way to organize/structure data.

Hope that helps.

-Percy

m_tt

There are many ways you can do this.. even put them all in a database with a "site id". For example:

Sites table:
+---------+------------------+
| Site ID | Site URL		 |
+---------+------------------+
|	1	|  http://site1..  |
|	2	|  http://site2..  |
+---------+------------------+

Banners table:
+---------+------------------+
| Site ID | Banner           |
+---------+------------------+
|    1	| site1-img1.jpg   |
|	1	| site1-img2.jpg   |
|	1	| site1-img3.jpg   |
|	2	| site2-img1.jpg   |
+---------+------------------+

Then pull a random row from the banners table and grab the url based on the site id.

There are many ways to do this.. I would like to see Percy's way : )

swon

Post from Matt looks good,
otherwise you can use something like that:

<?
$banners = array('site1-img1.jpg', 'site1-img2', 'site2-img3');
$urls= array('site1-url1', 'site2-url2');

$mod = ereg_replace("-[a-z0-9.]*","",$banners[$some_random_number]); // replace the '-......jpg' with nothing
$mod = str_replace("site","",$mod); // replace the string 'site';
$mod = $mod-1;
$link = $urls[$mod];
echo "<a href=$link>$link</a>";
?>

majiclab

I would say that m@tt's way is the ultimate way, as then you can update one table for the site URL's, and not have to change multiple entries.

My way was just a quick easy way... proper database design would lead to m@tt's example.

-Percy

Rock2Mucho

You guys are great, I'm taking a DB class today & I'll play with all the ideas, though I find that database one appealing.

Thanks for your time/input!
😃

m_tt

Glad to help, now if you could please click the link at the bottom of this thread that says "Mark Thread Resolved" it would be appreciated : )

stolzyboy

Marked it resolved!

Rock2Mucho

I marked it, I had to go to class (didn't know about that, sorry).

Thanks!🆒

stolzyboy

Originally posted by Rock2Mucho
I marked it, I had to go to class (didn't know about that, sorry).

Thanks!🆒

actually if you read my post better, it says

"Marked it resolved"

as in i marked it, now you double marked it

only the thread starter or a mod can mark a thread resolved