newbie question with php and mysql

[levels]

Hi Everyone. Can someone suggest an approach for me please.
I have a dynamic site where i want to display 3 random 'featured' records at
different positions.

I cant just use rand on each of them , as there is a chance they will double
up.
I cant retrieve all 3 randomly, then display because they apper in different
parts of the page.

Thanks for any suggestions

[Crispy_One]

You could query the database with a regular SELECT query. Then, get the
number of rows returned using the mysql_num_rows() function. Next, iterate
trough the rows advancing a random number of rows.

Check this out...




<?php

$link = mysql_connect($host, $user, $pass);

if ($link) {
// using example fields
$selQry = 'SELECT name, address, age FROM table_wheredatais WHERE 1 = 1';
$results = mysql_query($selQry, $link) or die('Error with query: ' .
mysql_error());

// get the number of rows returned
$numResults = mysql_num_rows($results);
//divide by 3 to try and split the results up evenly
$maxDist = round(($numResults / 3), 0);

// get three random distances
$distOne = rand(1, $maxDist);
$distTwo = rand(1, $maxDist);
$distThree = rand(1, $maxDist);

$eol = "\n";

// move forward the first distance...
for ($intI=1; $intI < $distOne; $intI++) {
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($results);
}
// display what you have
echo $row['name'] . ' ' . $row['address'] . ' ' . $row['age'] . $eol;

// move forward the second distance...
for ($intI=1; $intI <= $distTwo; $intI++) {
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($results);
}
// display what you have
echo $row['name'] . ' ' . $row['address'] . ' ' . $row['age'] . $eol;

// move forward the third distance...
for ($intI=1; $intI <= $distThree; $intI++) {
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($results);
}
// display what you have
echo $row['name'] . ' ' . $row['address'] . ' ' . $row['age'] . $eol;
}
?>

[Crispy_One]

One quick thing to add is that you just as easily assign these three to strings and display them when needed...

[levels]

Brilliant! thanks Crispy, ill implement it now!

[Crispy_One]

cool :-)