Predictable Randomness

[Packetrat]

If it can be done, and it can be done without rewriting PHP, I'd like to have a quote generator that is both random and predictable. That way I can print out quotes that are always the same on a given date, but tomorrow's quote would be randomly different. So, I have a series of quote ids in my database and i want to pick one based on today's date without having a lot of repitition. I guess it would then be called "Today's Quote" and I'd be able to have people discuss "Today's Quote."

I thought of running a random generator script once and then storing the id until the next day, but that didn't sound as fun as having a script that somehow magically chose the same quote every day... ya know, the more I think about this, the more unlikely it sounds achievable. Throw the thing to the dogs :2guns: if you can't come up with anything....

[Tekime]

Um, maybe I'm just a little daft, but I have no idea what you're talking about. :huh:

Are you saying that you want a random quote generator that doesn't repeat itself very often? Or that always says the same quote for a specific date, day of week, etc?

I don't get it! But it can probably be done.

[Packetrat]

Originally Posted by Tekime

Um, maybe I'm just a little daft, but I have no idea what you're talking about. :huh:

lol - I don't blame you. I usually come to the forums with a question like this when I'm in a state of daftness myself, not knowing where to start off and all that. This is what I want:

I have a list of quotes in my database; that list could change from 3 entries to 400 entries over time. Each day, however, as in each day of time in existence, I want to be able to display a different, random quote on my page. What I'm trying to get away from is every time the page loads, a new, random quote appears. For each day, I want one and only one quote, but still yet random over the days of time.

I'll probably just store the id somehow and do it that way... :nuts:

[Tekime]

Okay, I gotcha now. You could create a lastViewed date field and update the current time every time you view one. Then you could just select the quote with the oldest date when the date of the most recently accessed quote is equal to or greater than 24 hours less than today's date.

[Packetrat]

Right on. Sounds like a plan. Thx