Weighted Randoms

[Pezmc]

I have a mysql query querying my database using order by RAND() LIMIT 1 to sellect a random coice from the database, however I would like to have the chance of a object being chosen increased for certain values (Weighting?)

In my database I have:
[code]
id  name weight
1  Pezm  1
2  Shog  1.1
3  Ebay  1.2
4  PLp  1.3
5  php  1.4
[/code]

So follwing the information in my database if a weighted random script is used php shuld be the most frequent with 1.4*the chance to get chosen, compared to Pezm,

How can this be achieved?

[utexas_pjm]

Try this:

[code]
SELECT *
FROM
  `your_table`
  JOIN
      (
        SELECT `id`, `weight` FROM `your_table`
        ORDER BY RAND() * ( 1 / `weight`)
        LIMIT 1
      ) as `ref`
    USING (`id`)
[/code]

Best,

Patrick