help with this code...

[fearfx]

$limit = '4';
$m_ct = '0';

for ($count = 0; $count < $limit; $count = $count + 1)

{

	$ct = mt_rand(1, 5);

	if ($count < 4)
					{

						$result = mysql_query("SELECT menucon_$ct,id FROM sfb_pages WHERE adstack_accpt_$ct ='y'");

						while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))

							{
								$trackit = $row['id'];

								if ($row['id'] || $track["$tracker"])

									{

										$count = $count + 1;

										echo htmlspecialchars_decode($row["menucon_$ct"]) . "<br><br>";

										$track["$tracker"] = $trackit;

									}

							}


					}

}

the code above selects images from my db at random, but sometimes duplicates show up... why is this...

[waptech]

From what I gather, this script pulls 4 random images in 1 run right?
Then there is no fallback system implimented where if the script pulls the same image twice it will select a different image.

So as is if the script puuls the same image twice it wong correct itself.

And where does the variable $m_ct come into the script?

[Horizon88]

I'd say waptech is right - what you're doing is essentially the same as this, but with pictures:

echo rand();
echo rand();
echo rand();
echo rand();

Which obviously won't check for duplicates. What I'd do is have it randomly generate an image, save that image name in an array, $generated_images, then every time thereafter you generate an image, check in_array($rand_image, $generated_images) and if it returns true, throw out that result and generate another.

[NogDog]

Another option is to put the possible image names/links into an array, [man]shuffle/man that array, then pick off one array element at a time in each loop iteration via [man]array_shift/man or [man]array_pop/man

[fearfx]

$trackit = $row['id'];

									if ($row['id'] || $track["$tracker"])

										{

											$count = $count + 1;

											echo htmlspecialchars_decode($row["menucon_$ct"]) . "<br><br>";

											$track["$tracker"] = $trackit;

										}

I was trying to do it with this bit of code to look for duplicates....

[waptech]

fearfx wrote:

$trackit = $row['id'];

									if ($row['id'] || $track["$tracker"])

										{

											$count = $count + 1;

											echo htmlspecialchars_decode($row["menucon_$ct"]) . "<br><br>";

											$track["$tracker"] = $trackit;

										}

I was trying to do it with this bit of code to look for duplicates....

Yes i see that but everytime it gets a hit with the image recall it overwrites $track["$tracker"] with the new ID and leaves the old ID open for use again.

Use arrays to store the $track["$tracker"] and check from the whole array

[fearfx]

Ok what should the array look like, I am not very good with them...

[waptech]

Am busy recoding it now, will post in a bit.

What is thet $m_ct = 0; for? i see no use in it?

and

if ($row['id'] || $track["$tracker"])

is a problem because "||" is a logical OR, it should have been "!=" which is the NOT EQUAL TO shortform for that equation

EDIT:

<?php

$limit = '4'; 
$m_ct = '0'; 
$track = array();
for ($count = 0; $count < $limit; $count++) 

{ 

    $ct = mt_rand(1, 5); 

    if ($count < 4) 
                    { 

                        $result = mysql_query("SELECT menucon_$ct,id FROM sfb_pages WHERE adstack_accpt_$ct ='y'"); 

                        while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) 

                            { 
                                $trackit = $row['id']; 

                                if ($row['id'] != array_keys($track)) 

                                    { 

                                        echo htmlspecialchars_decode($row["menucon_$ct"]) . "</br></br>"; 

                                        $track[] = $trackit; 

                                    } 

                            } 


                    } 

}



?>

Try this and see if that solves the problem?

NOTE TO ADMIN:
Having problems replying in this topic, saying the reply file is unavailable.

[fearfx]

ok changed || and also m_ct is nothing just ignore it...

[fearfx]

ok doesn't work
duplicates show up and more than 4 images appear

[fearfx]

just forgot the count=count +1 but duplicates still appear

[fearfx]

$limit = '4';

$track = array();

for ($count = 0; $count < $limit; $count++)

{

    $ct = mt_rand(1, 5);

    if ($count < 4)
                    {

                        $result = mysql_query("SELECT menucon_$ct,id FROM sfb_pages WHERE adstack_accpt_$ct ='y'");

                        while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))

                            {
                                $trackit = $row["menucon_$ct"];

                                if ($row["menucon_$ct"] != array_keys($track))

                                    {

									 	$count = $count + 1;

                                        echo htmlspecialchars_decode($row["menucon_$ct"]) . "<br><br>";

                                        $track[] = $trackit;

                                    }

                            }


                    }

}

this is what I have so far...

[waptech]

well work on it from there as i cant test as i dont have ur database.
Play around a bit and you will get it.

and for future reference

for ($count = 0; $count < $limit; $count++)

does the counting in itself

So adding $count = $count +1; again will mess around.

Why did you set trackit to menucon_$ct when it was on id?

[fearfx]

becuase there are up to 5 ads under one id so I figured to compage the actually html that menucon_$ct has...

[fearfx]

$track[]

what is being stored between the [ ] brackets?

[waptech]

Ok but do you want more than 1 ad from each ID showing at a time?

$track[] is the array.
everytime you assign something to $track[] it adds it to the array.

Just excuse my slow replies, the rugby is on.

[troybtj]

I am assuming that $row["menucon_$ct"] is a URL ending in a single digit here, 1-5? (you want to display 4 ads out of 5 possible??? Gathered from mt_rand parameters.....)

Things I changed:

• Removed for loop, it looks like the while loop is doing the counting anyway

• Changed function to check array for usage of ad index

• Put ad into a variable rather than referring to the SQL asset, for readability

• moved the count function in while loop to after the htmlspecialchars

• initialized variables

<?php

$limit = '4';

$track = array();

$count = 0;


while ($count < 4)
{
    $ct = mt_rand(1, 5);
    $result = mysql_query("SELECT menucon_$ct,id FROM sfb_pages WHERE adstack_accpt_$ct ='y'");

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))

{
    // Put ad URL into a simple variable for future reference
    $ad = $row["menucon_$ct"];  //  Assuming menucon_[1-5] is a URL in database?

    // Only display ad if it hasn't been displayed already, search by the index number:
    if (array_key_exists($ct, $track))
    {



        echo htmlspecialchars_decode($ad) . "<br><br>";
        $count++;  //  So the while loop finishes eventually
        $track[] = $ct;  // Add index number to $track array

    }

}


}

?>