random selection of value dependent on conditions(no mysql): how?

schwim

Hi there guys,

I've done this a couple of times with mysql, but this time I have to figure out how to do it with nothing more than a config file.

I'm creating a site that uses a random template. What determines where the template is allowed to be shown is: whether it is active and if the page in question will allow it.

To explain better, it's a home building site, and they want their finished pics in the background on all pages., but want to allow the under construction pics to show only on their process and clients pages.

So, say I have five templates.

1: finished and active
2: under construction and active
3:finished and active
4:under construction and active
5: Not active yet, so shouldn't be shown at all.

And these pages that will require a template to be chosen:

index: finished only should show
contact: finished only should show
Our Process: finished or under construction should show
Our Clients: finished or under construction should show

Hopefully, this explains my requirements.

I imagine it would take a flat file of available templates, maybe with csv values representing A) if it's active and 😎 if it's finished or under construction.

My question is two parts:

1) What's the best way to format this(hopefully allowing for future fine tuning, like adding a condition)

2) How do I randomly choose the background on the page in question? In mysql, it was a simple RAND query WHERE my conditions were met, but I don't know how to do this with a normal flat file.

thanks,
json

schwim

For clarification, I do know of the rand & mt_rand functions, I just don't know how to integrate conditions and non-sequential streings into it, if that's even possible.

thanks,
json

reddrum

Just an idea.

 function rand_css(){
     $src_array = array("src1.css.","src2.css","src3.css","src4.css");
     $src = rand(0, 3);
     print"<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' media='screen' href='$src_array[$src]' />";
   }

schwim

Hi there Reddrum,

I think that's close to what I came up initially with, but I need to integrate the ability to use conditions on the determination of which one gets selected.

For instance, if I've got six templates, I can figure out how to randomly pick one of the six, my problem is that on the index, template 2 and 4 are not allowed to be chosen, so I need it to pick a random number between 1 & 6, excluding template 2 and 4.

Thanks very much for your reply though. Your function is much neater than mine 🙂

thanks,
json

laserlight

For instance, if I've got six templates, I can figure out how to randomly pick one of the six, my problem is that on the index, template 2 and 4 are not allowed to be chosen, so I need it to pick a random number between 1 & 6, excluding template 2 and 4.

Unset the strings representing templates 2 and 4. Or, select at random an element from array(0, 2, 4, 5), then access the array based on the random index.

schwim

Hi there laserlight,

Thanks very much for your reply.

I'm sure I could write a function for each page telling it what to pull from when choosing a random number, but I was hoping for a single function that any page could call on that would

a) determine which templates were available to it in particular
b) randomly select one of those templates.

I didn't want to individually tell each file which templates to use, then when adding a template, have to edit the functions of any page using it.

thanks,
json

laserlight

I'm sure I could write a function for each page telling it what to pull from when choosing a random number, but I was hoping for a single function that any page could call on that would

a) determine which templates were available to it in particular
b) randomly select one of those templates.

Ah, but if you can customise a function using the unset or index array approach, you can write a function to use your set or rules to determine what should be unset, or how to construct the index array.

schwim

Hi laserlight, that's what I was hoping, but I don't understand how to do it 😃

An example of how to do this would be most appreciated.

thanks,
json

schwim

I "resolved" the issue by using mysql.

Thanks to everyone who posted.

thanks,
json

bradgrafelman

Don't forget to mark this thread resolved.