random quote every day

[dansk]

Hello my friends at phpfreaks,

I am using this random quote generator

[code]<?php
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/*
author: Thomaz Ebihara
http://www.php-freebies.com
date: November 2005
script version: 1.0
*/
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
?>
<?php
$file = file('quotes.txt');
$quotes = array();
$authors = array();
$count = 0;
foreach($file as $k => $v)
{
if(preg_match("#^\r?\n$#", $v) == 0)
{
$count++;

if($count % 2 == 1)
{
preg_match("#quote\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$quotes[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
else
{
preg_match("#author\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$authors[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
}
}
$rnd = array_rand($quotes);
$rnd_quote = $quotes[$rnd];
$rnd_author = $authors[$rnd];
echo "<p class=\"quote\">$rnd_quote</p>";
echo "<p class=\"author\">$rnd_author</p>";
?>[/code]

I like it, but I would like it to display the quote every 24 hours or everyday?

Is this possible?

Thank you

[fert]

you would need a cron

[corbin]

You could make another file called quote2.txt
In quote2 you could have
[code]
1111111111|I'm a moron|George W. Bush
[code]
Then read quote2.txt explode the |'s if the timestamp is >= time() + (3600 * 24) then pick another random quote... Run a while loop to make sure the quotes dont match, that way if they do the while loop keeps going and picks another quote.

Then you open quote2 with w+ so it over writes it then write time()|quote|author to it.

The downside would be, it would have to do the time check every time the page was loaded, but currently you're running an entire file through anyways, so it would actually be faster... I can code it if you want, but I would rather you do it lol[/code][/code]

[dansk]

Thanks corbin

I will try to code it myself and hopefully I will be able to get it. Otherwise, I will hunt you down  with questions :)

Thanks alot for the help

[dansk]

Hi Corbin,

I am a little bit lost here. Can you be more specific, I tried to think it over and I was a little bit confused. Do I need to use cookies work with the time?

Thanks

[corbin]

No, cookies are a bad idea when working with time.  I personally use FireFox and have it set to clear my cookies, saved form data, history and all that fun stuff when ever I close it because I'm paranoid like that... Also, if the time was set in cookies, people would all have different quotes at different times, which could be good or bad...

Anyways to help you with your logic, I'll write a little script, but it'll take me a few minutes...

edit: what does the quotes file you use look like?  I looked through your script, but I'm horrible with regexp...

[PC Nerd]

well i think its simple.

if you have a database of quotes, or simply even an array, then youd do something like this:


[code]
$quote_array['1'] = "Quote 1";
$quote_array['2'] = "Quote 2";
$quote_array['3'] = "Quote 3";
$quote_array['4'] = "Quote 4";



$Q_Number = rand(1, 4);
echo $quote_array[$Q_Number];

[/code]
mind you there might be a better way of doing it.  somewhere in there you would have to do some if's to check the time,  and then you would do something like

[code]

$latest_date = 1/1/07;

$today_date = date(d,m,y); # i think thats the right format

if(today_date != latest_date) {

#do the quote generator above

}
else {

echo $current quote;

}

[/code]

i decided that you should store the current quote decided from the array.... in a $current_quote variable, therefore its easier to read and use

GOOD LUCK

[DarkendSoul]

Well heres what you need to do... if you have a MySQL database...

[code]
<?php
// Connect to database
// This is up to you to fill in

// Todays date, for other things.
$dateToday = date("Y.m.d");

// Request todays quote.
$getQuote = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM quotes WHERE date = '$dateToday'");

// Check if there is a quote set today.
if ($quoteToday = mysql_fetch_array($getQuote)) {

  // There already is a quote today, lets just repeat.
  echo "\"{$quoteToday['quote']}\" - {$quoteToday['author']}";

}
// If there is no quote lets add one.
else {

  // No quote today? Well lets find one.
  /* How ever you fetch your quotes */

  // Lets add this
  mysql_query("INSERT INTO quotes (quote, author, date) VALUES ($quote, $author, $dateToday)");

}
php?>
[/code]

This code is untested and should only be used as a guide.

[corbin]

He pulls the quotes from a file....

Havent tested it, but theres no reason this shouldnt work:

[code=php:0]
<?php
$quotes_file = "quotes/quotes.txt";
$quotes_time = "quotes/time.txt";
$new_quote_time = 24*60*60; //how often to get a new quote

if(!file_exists($quotes_time)) {
$han = @fopen($quotes_time, "w+");
if(!file_exists($quotes_time)) {
die("The time file does not exist, and could not be created");
}
else {
fwrite($han, "0");
}
@fclose($han);
}

$qt_content = file($quotes_time);
$qt_content = explode("|", $qt_content);
$filetime = $qt_content[0];
$quote = $qt_content[1];
$author = $qt_content[2];

if((time() - $filetime) > $new_quote_time) {
$file = file($quotes_file);
$quotes = array();
$authors = array();
$count = 0;
foreach($file as $k => $v)
{
if(preg_match("#^\r?\n$#", $v) == 0)
{
$count++;

if($count % 2 == 1)
{
preg_match("#quote\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$quotes[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
else
{
preg_match("#author\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$authors[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
}
}
$rnd = array_rand($quotes);
$quote = $quotes[$rnd];
$author = $authors[$rnd];

$han = fopen($quotes_time, "w+");
fwrite($han, time() . "|" . $quote . "|" . $author);
fclose($han);

}
echo "{$author} said <i>{$quote}</i>";
?>
[/code]

[dansk]

Thanks a lot for the help guys.

here you go corbin, this is how my quote file looks like

quote:hello world 1<br>commentry alkjdflajf
author:author 1
quote: hello world 2<br>commentry 355345435
author: author 2
quote: hello world 3<br>commentry *******
author: author 3
quote: hello world 4<br>commentry 3addddddddd
author: author 4

btw, i created a time file, do I have have to put something in there?

----
I am really confused between all the solutions I was given, all of them seem to be cool, I never thought of using Mysql with quotes, but because of you DarkendSoul, i am reconsidering my plans.

[PC Nerd]

the easiest way to do it, if thats the entire quotes file, is to just create an array, as i showed you above......  ;D

[dansk]

okay, here's what i have when trying yours

but this is not the file, the acutall file will contain 100's of them



<?php
$file = file('quotes.txt');
$quotes = array();
$authors = array();
$count = 0;


$latest_date = 1/1/07;

$today_date = date("Y.m.d"); # i think thats the right format

if($today_date != $latest_date) {

foreach($file as $k => $v)
{
if(preg_match("#^\r?\n$#", $v) == 0)
{
$count++;

if($count % 2 == 1)
{
preg_match("#quote\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$quotes[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
else
{
preg_match("#author\:(.+)\r?\n?#i", $v, $matches);
$authors[] = trim($matches[1]);
}
}
}
$rnd = array_rand($quotes);
$rnd_quote = $quotes[$rnd];
$rnd_author = $authors[$rnd];

}
else {


echo "<p class=\"quote\">$rnd_quote</p>";
echo "<p class=\"author\">$rnd_author</p>";

}

?>

and of course, it's not working b/c of my dumb cut and paste

[corbin]

Oooohhhh my was wrong... I forgot to write the time to the time file lol... Hmmm doesn't look like you're using mine anyways though... Tell me if you want me to fix mine...

[dansk]

sure corbin, I will let you know.

You have always been a great help bro.

[dansk]

Corbin, can you fix yours anyway. I will learn from it regardless

Thanks

[corbin]

Fixed in my previous post...

[dansk]

it wrote to the time file one quote, but it seems to me that it still gets the stuff form the original quote files and changes them everytime the page reloads

[dansk]

tried to use dark's and corbin's and neither one worked.,,help ???

in dark's i need to do the time check and in corbin's nothing is happening

[Clarkey_Boy]

I have only read the first 5 or so posts so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.

I would personally use a database to store the quotes, then have a random variable. I would check that the count in the quotes table where id = the random variable = 1. If the count is 0, I would "remake" the random number and do the same again and again until I got a number where count = 1. I would then draw the quote out of the table where id = random number and display that quote.

RC

[dansk]

Thank you, but the issue is basically how to get these random quotes show up only every 24 hours

[Clarkey_Boy]

So put them in a database with a day of the month next to them (as in 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc, not Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). Then select the quote with the day column the same as the current day.

RC

[dansk]

Wouldn't this make certian quotes only show on certian days, which will not make it truly random.

The one that is closest to what I need is in [quote author=PC Nerd link=topic=120655.msg498833#msg498833 date=1168156650]
well i think its simple.

if you have a database of quotes, or simply even an array, then youd do something like this:


[code]
$quote_array['1'] = "Quote 1";
$quote_array['2'] = "Quote 2";
$quote_array['3'] = "Quote 3";
$quote_array['4'] = "Quote 4";



$Q_Number = rand(1, 4);
echo $quote_array[$Q_Number];

[/code]
mind you there might be a better way of doing it.  somewhere in there you would have to do some if's to check the time,  and then you would do something like

[code]

$latest_date = 1/1/07;

$today_date = date(d,m,y); # i think thats the right format

if(today_date != latest_date) {

#do the quote generator above

}
else {

echo $current quote;

}

[/code]

i decided that you should store the current quote decided from the array.... in a $current_quote variable, therefore its easier to read and use

GOOD LUCK
[/quote]

but I am unable to do the time check as he mentions.

[Clarkey_Boy]

Try the following:

[code]
function randomquote()
{
    $quote_array = array(1 => "Quote 1", "Quote 2", "Quote 3", "Quote 4");

    // OR:

    $quote_array = array(1 => "Quote 1", 2 => "Quote 2", 3 => "Quote 3", 4 => "Quote 4");

    // (Both of the above result in the same thing, just one is less code, the other is easier to understand to those that have not written the code. Remember to repeat the array up to number 31 (so carry on from 5 up to 31)).
    $quote_number = date("d");
    echo $quote_array[$quote_number];
}

// Now call the function wherever you want the quote to be placed, as follows:

randomquote();
[/code]

[dansk]

thanks Clarkey_Boy, this one works but i will save it when i can't get corbin to fix his :D:D

corbin, i think you need to check the code because the if statement is kind of not working :D