Random Results

Nuke Cadet Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 1

I have created a DB and I am having no problems accessing the date and displaying results. My customer now hits me with a desire to randomize the results so the same names do not always appear at the top of the results page (It's a membership list).

Here is the php code that I am currently using. Is there a way to randomize the results everytime a query is run?

mysql_connect($server,$username,$password);
@mysql_select_db($database) or die( "Unable to select database");

switch ( $region )
{
case "Seacoast":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Seacoast' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Middleton, New Castle, New Durham, Milton, Exeter, Farmington, Epping, East Kingston, Durham, Fremont, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Nottingham, Atkinson, Greenland, Barrington, Brentwood, Brookfield, Danville, Dover, Newfields, Newington, Madbury, Lee, Kingston, Kensington, Sandown, Seabrook, Somersworth, South Hampton, Strafford, Stratham, Union, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Hampstead, Plaistow, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rochester, Rollinsford, Rye, Sanbornville, Stratham' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "Western":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Western' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Acworth, Alstead, Gilsom, Newport, Antrim, Bennington, Bradford, Canaan, Goshen, Grafton, Grantham, Greenfield, Greenville, Groton, Hancock, Hanover, Harrisville, Hillsboro, Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Orange, Orford, Plainfield, Richmond, Rindge, Roxbury, Charlestown, Chesterfield, Claremont, Cornish, Croydon, Deering, Dorchester, Mason, Marlborough, Marlow, Lyme, Lyndeborough, Lempster, Langdon, Lebanon, Keene, Sandown, Sharon, Springfield, Stoddard, Sullivan, Surry, Sutton, Swanzey, Temple, Troy, Unity, Dublin, Enfield, Etna, Farmington, Fitzwilliam, New Ipswich, New London, Newbury, Nelson, Walpole, Washington, West Lebanon, Westmoreland, Wilmot, Wilton, Winchester, Windsor, Francestown, Sunapee, Piermont, Peterborough' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "North Country":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'North Country' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Academy Grant, Albany, Freedom, North Conway, Northumberland, Barrington, Bartlett, Bath, Beans, Grant, Beans Purchase, Benton, Berlin, Bethlehem, Burbanks, Cambridge, Gorham, Greens Grant, Hadleys Purchase, Hales Location, Haverhill, Ordell, Ossipee, Pinkhams Grant, Pittsburg, Randolph, Jackson, Chandlers Purchase, Chatham, Chocorua, Clarksville, Colebrook, Columbia, Conway, Crawfords, Purchase, Cutts Grant, Dalton, Dixs Grant, Dixville, Lancaster, Landaff, Lisbon, Littleton, Lyman, Madison, Martins Loc, Sargents Purchase, Shelburne, Stewartstown, Success, Sugar Hill, Tamworth, Easton, Eaton, Effingham, Errol, Ervings Loc, Franconia, Millsfield, Monroe, Milan, Wentworth, Whitefield, Woodsville, Drummer, Meserves Purchase, Kilkenny, Jefferson, Thompson' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "Central":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Central' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Allenstown, Andover, Barnstead, Boscawen, Bow, Hopkinton, Northwood, Henniker,, Pembroke, Penacook, Salisbury, Canterbury, Chichester, Concord, Contoocook, Deerfield, Suncook, Dunbarton, Epsom, Warner, Weare, Webster, Loudon, Pittsfield' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "Lakes Region":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Lakes Region' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Wolfeboro, Woodstock, Warren, New Hampton, Moultonborough, Ellsworth, Danbury, Center Harbor, Laconia, Lincoln, Livermore, Meredith, Tuftonboro, Thornton, Tilton, Sandwich, Sanbornton, Rumney, Plymouth, Hebron, Holderness, Campton, Bristol, Bridgewater, Belmont, Ashland, Alexandria, Alton, Gilford, Gilmanton, Franklin, Northfield, Hill' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "Southern":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Southern' AND MATCH (town) AGAINST('Windham, Milford, Mount Vernon, Nashua, New Boston, Litchfield, Londonderry, Manchester, Merrimack, Derry, Chester, Candia, Brookline, Bedford, Amherst, Hollis, Hooksett, Hudson, Pelham, Salem, Goffstown' IN BOOLEAN MODE)";
break;

case "Outside NH":
$query = "SELECT * FROM (members) WHERE REGION = 'Outside NH'";
break;

default:
$query = "SELECT * FROM chapmsg ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 5";
break;

}

$result=mysql_query($query);

$num=mysql_num_rows($result);

mysql_close();

$i=0;
While ($i < $num) {
$search=mysql_result($result,$i,"search");
$name=mysql_result($result,$i,"name");
$company=mysql_result($result,$i,"company");
$address=mysql_result($result,$i,"address");
$csz=mysql_result($result,$i,"csz");
$phone=mysql_result($result,$i,"phone");
$fax=mysql_result($result,$i,"fax");
$email=mysql_result($result,$i,"email");
$website=mysql_result($result,$i,"website");

echo "$search $name $company $address $csz $phone $fax $email $website";

$i++;
}
if ($num ==0)
{
echo"No records were found, please search again";
}

?>

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:03 am

Before you print your output, insert it in an array, use php shuffle() to randomize the array.
$stuff = shuffle($array);

Or, say you want to list 5 results from the database but only within a randomly generated range.
$num = mysql_num_rows(blablahblah);
$start = rand(0,$num-5);
$end = $start+5;

$result = mysql_query("select * from _ LIMIT $start,$end");

You can shuffle() those results too if you want.

You could aso try mysql RAND();

$result = mysql_query("select * from _ ORDER BY RAND()");