Return random file name from directory

[GCZFFL]

Calling all PHP gurus...

I'm looking to create a function that will randomly return one file name from a specified server-side directory.

The catch is that the number of files in the directory is dynamic, as well as their file names, so everything has to be done at the call of the function.

Anyone already have script for this?

Thanks in advance!

Joe

[RossC0]

Hi,

This should be simple enough.

Heres some untested sudo code that should do it:

<?php
// Directory to search:
$dirPath = '/tmp';
$dirArray = array();

// Loop the directory (if exists)
if ($handle = opendir($dirPath)) {
   while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle))) {
      if ($file != "." && $file != "..") {
          $dirArray[] = $file;
       }
   }
   closedir($handle);
}

// You may have to assign the count() to a variable (not sure if it will nest)
$rand = rand(0,count($dirArray));

echo $dirArray[$rand];
?> 

[laserlight]

// You may have to assign the count() to a variable (not sure if it will nest)
$rand = rand(0,count($dirArray));

echo $dirArray[$rand];

Should actually be:
echo $dirArray[rand(0, count($dirArray) - 1];
though I might use mt_rand() instead.
It can be simplified to:
echo $dirArray[array_rand($dirArray)];

[GCZFFL]

Excellent! It works! Thank you both! 🙂

Another quick question...

If there are subdirectories in the specified directory, they are understandably being loaded into the array.

Since they don't have a file name extension like the wanted files do, is there a way I can eliminate them from the load the via a method similar to what we're doing for...

if ($file != "." && $file != "..")

...or is there a better method?

Again, thank you in advance!

Joe (veteran programmer, but PHP newbie)

[laserlight]

oh yes.
Actually, in that case you probably can discard the checks for the current and parent directory shortforms.

For example:

<?php
//retrieve 1 random filename from directory at given path
function randFileFromDir($path) {
	$files = array();
	//open directory handle
	if ($dh = opendir($path)) {
		//read directory entries
		while (($filename = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
			//check if directory entry is a file
			if (is_file($filename)) {
				$files[] = $filename;
			}
		}
		closedir($dh);
		//are there any files in the directory?
		if (!empty($files[0])) {
			return $files[mt_rand(0, $num_files - 1)];
			//or return $files[array_rand($files)];
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	} else {
		//error: problem with directory opening
		return false;
	}
}
//use the function
echo randFileFromDir('/tmp');
?>

[RossC0]

array_rand($dirArray)
I thought there should be an array random function..

Sometimes using google to search www.php.net is better than using their search!

Nice one!

[GCZFFL]

Thank you both again! This should give me plenty to work with.

Joe