[SOLVED] whats the best way to display a random record from a mysql table?

[daveh33]

What I am trying to do is do a query on a mysql table e.g SELECT * from table where status='active' - I want it so when e.g 10 records are returned, it would display a randomly selected.

 

I have spent a few hours searching the internet for tutorials but have yet to get one working.

 

I have also noticed different ways in doing it.

 

 

Can someone let me know some methods which have been successfully used before.

 

 

[trq]

SELECT * from table where status='active' ORDER BY RAND(id) LIMIT 10;

[daveh33]

Can you tell me where I am going wrong with this code

 

} else {
$result = mysql_fetch_row(mysql_query("SELECT * from promotions where used='n' ORDER BY RAND(id)")  or die(mysql_error()));
$row = mysql_fetch_array( $result2 ) or die(mysql_error());
} 
$title = $row['title'];

[sasa]

change line

$result = mysql_fetch_row(mysql_query("SELECT * from promotions where used='n' ORDER BY RAND(id)")  or die(mysql_error()));

to

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * from promotions where used='n' ORDER BY RAND()")  or die(mysql_error());

[daveh33]

OK I changed that and get the below error: -

 

Warning: mysql_fetch_array(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in members.php on line 52

 

line 52 been the $row line

[pocobueno1388]

You need to use the variable $result, not $result2

 

$row = mysql_fetch_array($result)or die(mysql_error());

[daveh33]

Excellent that works! Thanks