[SOLVED] randon unique field name

[jkkenzie]

I would like to generate a unique name or text that does not match a particular field values: say i have a field called ProjectName:

and in the field list i have project1, project2 and project3, i would like to create something like project4 or anything else like xxgtdf  BUT should not match the others.

 

thanks

Joe

[bobbinsbro]

i think the easiest way to generate a random string is to use $hash = md5(time()); and use the first X chars of $hash (where x = the length of string you need).

[Mchl]

In other words a unique identifier. Are you going to use it as a primary key for a table? If so, using INTEGER column with AUTO_INCREMENT is better choice.

If you need a column to contain unique values, create a UNIQUE index on it. Then whenever you try to insert a duplicate value, you;ll get a mysql error. So you can do

 

$success = FALSE;
while(!$success) {
$string = generateRandomString();  //you'll have to come up with code for this function
$query = "INSERT INTO table (ProjectName) VALUES ('$string')";
if(mysql_query($query)) $success = TRUE;
}

[jkkenzie]

I am going to use it as a foreign key to identify a list or a group of records. So they will not be unique in the table they will reside but they will more than one in one table to identify a list of records.

 

 

[Mchl]

Still perfect case for INTEGER AUTO_INCREMENT

[runnerjp]

do as mchl said and just auto_increment your table...

1

2

3

4

 

thats how every ones does it

[jkkenzie]

No you dont understand.

A group of records will have one or the same name or id SAY:

 

id|Project | name  | details|

1 | x        | Kenya  | graph  |

2  | x      | uganda|  graph  |

3 | y      | Kenya  | graph2  |

4  | y      | uganda|  graph2  |

 

You realise the project has unique identifying field x or y: Unique in the sense that it identifies a GROUP of records.

 

I hope i am clear this time round.

 

thanks for your help.

 

[samshel]

you are trying to use it as a foriegn key, so it is mandatory that it should have a master table may be "projects" where it is a primary key and hence unique too..so in addition to your table, you should have one more table called projects which would have following fields:

 

Table : projects

Fields

 

project_id - INT (auto-increment)

project_name - varchar

 

Then your table will be something like this

id|Project | name  | details|

1 | 1        | Kenya  | graph  |

2  | 1      | uganda|  graph  |

3 | 2      | Kenya  | graph2  |

4  | 2      | uganda|  graph2  |

[jkkenzie]

Actually my project doesnt aloow for that table to be made, it is supposed to be a one time data.

I wish i could store my results in a cache memory to be used by my graph when i move to the next page, but my calculations are alot.

 

I move through 4 pages carrying selected fields values in variables (POST) then on the forth page i use those data to calaculate two other values(which i put them to fields in my tblcalc) this two other values are created when my while statement loops and stores in $A and $C which i save in my tblcalc as i loop .

the project does not need the user creating a project name or project table, the data is fixed it is stored once. in a table tbldata, from which the user selects what needs to plotted on a graph.

here am trying to store in my temporary table tblcalc which data in it is deleted maybe after ten minutes, THAT IS WHY I NEEDED THE UNIQUE FIELD WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY THOSE SELECTED VALUES BY USER FOR ATLEAST 10 MINUTES THEN IT COULD BE DELETED.

 

thanks.

Joseph

[Mchl]

You've already got suggestions on how to achieve the capsed request.

[jkkenzie]

I have used:

$hash=md5(time());				 
$hash= substr($hash,1,6);
$project = $hash;

to get a unique project

THEN delete all whose time is less than ten minute

 

Thanks

Jose