mt_rand to never pick 2 values of equal value?

[Monkuar]

function choose_numbers($number,$max) {
		global $ibforums,$std;
		srand( (double)microtime() * 1000000 );
		$array = array();
		$i = 0;
		while($i!=$number)
		{
		$array[] = mt_rand(1,$max);
		$i++;
		}
		$c = count($array);
		while($c != $number)
		{
		$array[] = mt_rand(1,$max);
		$c = count($array);
		if($c == $number)
		{
		$array = array_unique($array);
		$c = count($array);
		}
		}
		return $array;
	}
$newnumbers = $this->choose_numbers(3,36);
echo "{$newnumbers['0']}|{$newnumbers['1']}|{$newnumbers['2']}";

 

This echo's out my lottery balls 0|32|22 or technically RANDNuMbER|RANDNUMBER|RANDNUMBER

 

up to 36 is the highest number.

 

Now my issue is, I don't want 2 numbers of the same Value, EVER. Sometimes it does 2|3|2 which is BAD (for my lottery system) is there anyway I can make it so it never will echo out 2 (OR 3) of the same number?

[Monkuar]

srand( (double)microtime() * 1000000 );
		$array = array();
		$i = 0;
		while($i!=$number)
		{
		$array[] = mt_rand(1,$max);
		$i++;
		}
		return $array;

 

is that function

 

sorryi couldn't edit my post?

[AyKay47]

1. if you are running any PHP version greater than 4.2.0, srand() is not needed.

 

2. don't use the global keyword, you don't even use those variables in your function.

 

3. I would check for the existence of the random value in the array before inserting, making sure that all values will be unique.

 

$array = array();
$i = 0;
while($i != $number)
{
$rand = mt_rand(1,$max);
if(!in_array($rand,$array))
   $array[] = $rand;
$i++;
}
return $array;

[Monkuar]

1. if you are running any PHP version greater than 4.2.0, srand() is not needed.

 

2. don't use the global keyword, you don't even use those variables in your function.

 

3. I would check for the existence of the random value in the array before inserting, making sure that all values will be unique.

 

$array = array();
$i = 0;
while($i != $number)
{
$rand = mt_rand(1,$max);
if(!in_array($rand,$array))
   $array[] = $rand;
$i++;
}
return $array;

 

1 Problem

 

sometimes it displays 1 missing number as a blank?

 

"17|29|"

 

 

[Pikachu2000]

Yes, that's because the counter is incremented irrespective of whether the generated random number was in the array or not. Write the if() conditional in standard format, with curly braces, and move the $i++ within the curly braces. That should take care of it.

[Monkuar]

Yes, that's because the counter is incremented irrespective of whether the generated random number was in the array or not. Write the if() conditional in standard format, with curly braces, and move the $i++ within the curly braces. That should take care of it.

 

if(!in_array($rand,$array)) {
   $array[] = $rand;
$i++;
}

 

Marked as Resolved.

 

Kudos.