Hi.
I'm trying to write a code that selects 3 unique random arrays from a multiple array.

I've got this far:

<?php
$people = array(
array (
    "Name" => "Chris",
    "Strength" => 4,
    "Business" => 3,
	"Wages" => 2000),


array (
    "Name" => "Bob",
    "Strength" => 5,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 1000),

array (
    "Name" => "Kelly",
    "Strength" => 3,
    "Business" => 5,
	"Wages" => 1500),

array (
    "Name" => "Johnny",
    "Strength" => 4,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 1000),

array (
    "Name" => "Tony",
    "Strength" => 5,
    "Business" => 5,
	"Wages" => 2000),

array (
    "Name" => "Jesse",
    "Strength" => 1,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 500),

);

// print_r($people);
for ($i=0; $i<=2; $i++) {
	$random[$i] = array_rand($people);
	//this generates the random number from the array
	echo "<br> loop $i <br> $random[$i] call";  

	echo "<br> $random[$i]"; // printing result

$random = array_unique($random);
echo "deleting duplicates... <br />";
print_r($random);
if ($i == 2) {
	// echo "Loop $i, No. ";
	$result = count($random);

	if ($result < 3) {
		$i--;
		continue;

	} else {
		echo $result;
	}
}
}

echo "<br />Hire one of these 3 people. <br />";


?>

But occasionally it gets into an infinite loop, which I'd like to eliminate before I add more code.

All helpful suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

    Why not use count() to get the number of arrays you have, then use array_shuffle to mix them all up randomly and then finally select a number/key less than or equal to the count value?

      You are already using array_rand(), so why not provide it with a second argument of 3?

        I did use

        array_rand($people, 3)

        first time out, but the 3 results weren't unique. Thank you laserlight; do you know of a way to make it pick 3 unique results?
        Or will I have to use an if condition with array_unique?

        Thank you kbc1, I think I'll try that way too.

          // print_r($people);

$random = array_rand($people, 3);
//this generates the random 3 people

$random = array_unique($random);
// deleting duplicates
print_r($random);


echo "<br />Hire one of these 3 people. <br />";

          works... it selects 3 unique values but doesn't copy the multiple array :$

          At least the code's shorter.. now to try and work out how to copy a multiple array...

          Thank you

            <?php
$people = array(
array (
    "Name" => "Chris",
    "Strength" => 4,
    "Business" => 3,
	"Wages" => 2000),

array (
    "Name" => "Bob",
    "Strength" => 5,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 1000),

array (
    "Name" => "Kelly",
    "Strength" => 3,
    "Business" => 5,
	"Wages" => 1500),

array (
    "Name" => "Johnny",
    "Strength" => 4,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 1000),

array (
    "Name" => "Tony",
    "Strength" => 5,
    "Business" => 5,
	"Wages" => 2000),

array (
    "Name" => "Jesse",
    "Strength" => 1,
    "Business" => 2,
	"Wages" => 500),

);


$random = array_rand($people, 3);
//this generates the random 3 people

$random = array_unique($random);
// deleting duplicates

foreach ($random as $k => $v) {
	$display = $random[$k];
	$random[$k] = $people[$display];

}
echo "<h3>Hire one of these 3 people.</h3> <br />";
$a = 0;
while ($a < 3) {

echo "
<div id='Pusher".$a."'>
	<form name='Hire".$a."' action='index.php' method='POST'>
		<fieldset>
			<strong>Name</strong>
			<input type='hidden' name='Name' value='".$random[$a]['Name']."' />"
			.$random[$a]['Name']."
			<br /><strong>Strength</strong>
			<input type='hidden' name='Strength' value='".$random[$a]['Strength']."' />"
			.$random[$a]['Strength']."

			<br /><strong>Business</strong>
			<input type='hidden' name='Business' value='".$random[$a]['Business']."' />"
			.$random[$a]['Business']."

			<br /><strong>Wages</strong>
			<input type='hidden' name='Wages' value='".$random[$a]['Wages']."' />
				".$random[$a]['Wages']."

			<br /><input type='submit' value='Hire' />
		</fieldset>
	</form>
</div>";
$a++;

}

if (array_key_exists('Name', $_POST)) {
	$hired[] = $_POST;
	print_r($hired);
}


?>

            I did use a for loop at first, but every for loop kept getting into an infinite loop (probably a bug in my server, which I have now updated).

            Thank you!

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