[Resolved] help with playing sound in if/else statement

Scurvy

Hi all, I have a php IM script that I'm trying to modify to play a sound when a new message arrives.
The following code works but plays the sound whenever the page is refreshed. I only want it to play if the message count changes. Any ideas?

// Test for playing sound when new message arrives
// Count number of messages on refresh

$message_count="select count(*) from chatdata where buddy like '%$username%'";
$message_result=mysql_query($message_count);

$cur_count=mysql_num_rows($message_result);



if ($cur_count > $old_count)

{
    echo"<embed src='chimes.wav' autostart='True' loop='False' hidden='True'></embed>";
}
else{
    echo"Don't play the sound";
}


$old_count = $cur_count;



// End Test code

TheDefender

Where is the $old_count being defined on the refresh... The way it looks now, the check will always fail since there is no $old_count variable... You probably need to load the $old_count into a session variable to call it on the refresh... You are half-way there with this script, but it needs more definition of the $old_count. (based on what you have posted)

devinemke

are you setting a value for $old_count anywhere before this code? if not then you should get an error (depending on your error reporting settings). i suggest you stick the $old_count into a session variable and compare that to the result of your query.

Scurvy

Wow, thanks for the quick replies.
I put the $old_count at the bottom to say that after the count is checked in $cur_count it would restore it in $old_count and then when the page refreshes, the new count would compare to the $old_count.

As for a session variable that's new to me. How's that work if it's not too detailed.

TheDefender

The problem with that is that at the beginning (before you make the comparison), there is no $old_count variable, because as it is, the $old_count variable is unset upon the page refresh.

So at the bottom, you want:

$old_count = $cur_count;
$_SESSION['old_count'] = $old_count;

And at the top, you want something like:

session_start();// This has to be the very first line of the page

IF(isset($_SESSION['old_count'])){
$old_count = $_SESSION['old_count']
} else {
$old_count = //some default value (or however you want to handle this)
}

Scurvy

Ok, that got rid of the sound altogether. When I echo out the $cur_count and $old_count I get 1 for both even when I add a new message. Sorry if this is dumb but I'm lost. I've put the code at the top, the bottom and the middle of the code.
Here's the full script

Thanks again,
Jeff

<?PHP
session_start();// This has to be the very first line of the page 

IF(isset($_SESSION['old_count'])){ 
$old_count = $_SESSION['old_count'];
} else { 
$old_count = 0; //some default value (or however you want to handle this) 
}
?>

<script lnaguage="javascript">

var limit="0:5"
if (document.images){
var parselimit=limit.split(":")
parselimit=parselimit[0]*60+parselimit[1]*1
}
function beginrefresh(){
if (!document.images)
return
if (parselimit==1)
window.location.reload() && window.scroll(0,20000)
else{
parselimit-=1
curmin=Math.floor(parselimit/60)
cursec=parselimit%60
if (curmin!=0)
curtime=curmin+" minutes and "+cursec+" seconds left until page refresh!"
else
curtime=cursec+" seconds left until page refresh!"

setTimeout("beginrefresh()",1000)
}
}

window.onload=beginrefresh

</script>
<body ><font face="arial" size="2">
<?
include ("mysql.php");
// Test for playing sound when new message arrives
// Count number of messages on refresh

$message_count="select count(*) from chatdata where buddy like '%$username%'";
$message_result=mysql_query($message_count);

$cur_count=mysql_num_rows($message_result);



if ($cur_count > $old_count)

{
    echo"<embed src='chimes.wav' autostart='True' loop='False' hidden='True'></embed>";
}
else{
    echo"No Sound";
}
echo "<br>";
echo $old_count;
echo "<br>";

$old_count = $cur_count; 
$_SESSION['old_count'] = $old_count;

echo $cur_count;


// End Test code

$query="select from users where username='$username' and status='yes'";
$result=mysql_query($query, $link);
if($result!=0)
{
print"<center><body bgcolor=\"000066\"><span style=background-color:8080C0><font color=lightblue>&nbsp;$username you have logged out&nbsp;</span>";
exit;
}
else
{
$query="delete from chatdata where message ='<br>' or buddy='to <font color=blue></font>'";
mysql_query($query,$link);
$query="select sender, buddy, message from chatdata where sender = '<font color=red>$username</font>' or sender like '%$buddy%'  and   buddy ='<font color=blue>$buddy</font>' or buddy like '%$username%'  order by id desc";
$result=mysql_query($query, $link);
$num_rows=mysql_num_rows($result);
while($fresult=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
print"$fresult[0] $fresult[1]$fresult[2]";
print"<br>";
}
}


?>

TheDefender

What do you get if you echo out the $old_count and $cur_count right before the comparison?

echo "Old Count: ".$old_count.", Current Count: ".$cur_count;

if ($cur_count > $old_count) 

{

Scurvy

Figured it out. The count() was counting the total messages in the db not just the ones for me. Has to do with the way the message is formatted not with the php code.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

TheDefender

No problem... Have a nice night!