Users not being able to edit page at the same time

[twsowerby]

I ahve a call referral system that allows a user to log in and view referral records one at a time. The user looks at the record, makes a call, adds a note and clicks submit. The record is then updated.

 

I am fast approaching a situation where I will have more than one user. Given the way the system retrieves records it is possible that two people using the system at the same time may be shown the same record and attempt to edit the same record at the same time.

 

To get around this I was planning on implementing a random selection function. The function would randomly select a record and display it. Upon selection, a 'currently being edited' marker would be placed against that record.

 

The next time a user calls the random selection function, it will do a check to see if the 'currently being edited' marker exists for that record. If it does then call the random select function again and so on until it gets one with no marker.

 

Is there a better way of doing this?

 

Cheers!

[ignace]

Add a field checkin (boolean DEFAULT FALSE) then when a user edits a page (checkin = TRUE) when a new user wants to retrieve a page query:

 

SELECT * FROM table WHERE checkin = FALSE ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 1

[twsowerby]

Excellent thanks, thats pretty much what I figured, just wondered of there was a different way that might be better.

 

Cheers

[ignace]

thats pretty much what I figured

 

Not entirely:

 

The next time a user calls the random selection function, it will do a check to see if the 'currently being edited' marker exists for that record. If it does then call the random select function again and so on until it gets one with no marker.

 

My method avoids this second call.

[twsowerby]

Ah yes I see the difference now. Thanks for your help!