[RESOLVED] LS1tech.com ads

[wakerider017]

I am trying to create an advertisement table just like LS1tech.com...

Yet I am having some difficulties...

NOTE: I am using Vbulletin...

This is my database that I have setup:
http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/4594/help6oo.jpg

Since the advertisement table is in th template I can not directly use php...

I need to put the php in another file and then call on it in the template...

Here is what I have so far:

$sql = "SELECT * FROM `table_name` ORDER BY RAND()";
$result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
while ($row = mysql_fetch_object($result))
{
    $ads_HREF = "$row->HREF";
    $ads_SRC = "$row->SRC";
    $ads_ALT = "$row->ALT";
}

and I call on it with this:

<tr><td>
<a href='$ads_HREF'><img src='$ads_SRC' name='$ads_ALT' border=0></a></td></tr> 

but... there is a problem with this... it shows the same ad 5 times! I want 5 different ads!

I think I may need to use an array... but I am not sure how...

Anyone want to help?

[bradgrafelman]

Well... this is how I would do it...

$ads = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_object($result)) 
{ 
    $ad =& $ads[];
    $ad['HREF'] = $row->HREF; 
    $ad['SRC'] = $row->SRC; 
    $ad['ALT'] = $row->ALT; 
}

Then, in your template:

<tr><td>
<a href='{$ads[0]['HREF']}'><img src='{$ads[0]['SRC']}' name='{$ads[0]['ALT']}' border=0></a></td></tr> 
<tr><td>
<a href='{$ads[1]['HREF']}><img src='{$ads[1]['SRC']}' name='{$ads[1]['ALT']}' border=0></a></td></tr> 

etc.

[wakerider017]

$sql = "SELECT * FROM `ads` ORDER BY RAND()";  

$result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error()); 
$ads = array();  

while ($row = mysql_fetch_object($result))  

{  

    $ad =& $ads[];  

    $ad['HREF'] = $row->HREF;  

    $ad['SRC'] = $row->SRC;  

    $ad['ALT'] = $row->ALT;  

} 

 <tr><td> 
<a href='{$ads[0]['HREF']}'><img src='{$ads[0]['SRC']}' alt='{$ads[0]['ALT']}' border=0></a></td></tr>  

Thats it!!!!! Thanks a bunch!

[bradgrafelman]

Don't forget to mark this thread resolved!

If you want an explanation of the code I used, then just ask. I (or anyone else that is browsing this thread and can read it as well) would be happy to explain it.

[wakerider017]

explanation would be awesome!

[bradgrafelman]

Basically, this bit of code:

$ad =& $ads[];

does two major things:

1. Creates a new index in the array $ads. In an array, if you reference a blank index (an opening and closing bracket, as I've done) you are instead creating and using the next index in the array. In a numerical array $array[0], $array[1], this syntax would create and store values to $array[2].

2. Creates a variable call $ad that is simply a reference to the index created above. The reference bit is done by using the ampersand (&). All this means is that whatever you do to $ad you are actually doing to whatever was "referenced" instead. It's sort of like an alias or nickname... another way of referencing or accessing something else. So, when I referenced a new index in $ads, everything I did to $ad after that was actually being done to that new index (storing values for your ad images in this case).

The rest of the code I used:

$ad['HREF'] = $row->HREF;

(and so on) simply stores values retrieved from MySQL into an associative array (an array whose indeces are named with keywords, such as HREF/SRC/ALT/etc. instead of numbers). Each time the script loops through the while() statement, the $ad variable references a new index in the $ads array and stores the information retrieved.

Thus, a multi-dimension array was created with each of the first indeces being a numeric list of ads (don't forget - PHP like many other languages starts its arrays with 0!). Inside of those indeces is another array containing the information retrieved from MySQL about that particular ad.

If you were to use [man]print_r/man, the easiest way to see what an array looks like, you would see something like this:

Array
(
     [0] => Array
          (
               [HREF] => http://www.example.com/blah.php
               [SRC] => image.jpeg
               [ALT] => Click me!
          )
     [1] => Array
...

and so on.

[wakerider017]

Thanks a bunch!

There is only 1 minor thing that I noticed... The Alt text does not show up?

Any clues why?

you can look here:

www.lsxgto.net

[bradgrafelman]

Uh... I believe you're using the wrong HTML attribute. I believe you put "name=" where you wanted "alt=".

[wakerider017]

bradgrafelman wrote:

Uh... I believe you're using the wrong HTML attribute. I believe you put "name=" where you wanted "alt=".

lol :o

I feel stupid now. Thanks! I didnt even think to look at that... 😃

Edit I made a correction to the above code for future reference...

[bradgrafelman]

Quite alright! At least it was an easy fix 😉

Looks like you're all set now... I'll be unsubscribing now. Good luck!

[wakerider017]

bradgrafelman wrote:

Quite alright! At least it was an easy fix 😉

Looks like you're all set now... I'll be unsubscribing now. Good luck!

thanks again! 🙂