php include random file with no repeat on pageload

Question

I am currently using mt_rand to display a random file from the specified folder each time the page is loaded.

After doing lots of searching i think i need to create an array and then shuffle the array, but not sure how to go about this.

Most of the examples i have found use an array and then echo the results where as i'm trying to include the result.

<?php
$fict = glob("spelling/*.php");
$fictional = $fict[mt_rand(0, count($fict) -1)];
include ($fictional);
?>

Answer 1

You can use session cookies to hold a random, non-repeating list of files. Actually, for security, the session cookie should only store a list of indices into an array of files.

For example, suppose we have the following file list in an array:

index           file
----------------------------
  0      spelling/file1.txt
  1      spelling/file2.txt
  2      spelling/file3.txt
  3      spelling/file4.txt

We can create an array of the indices, eg array(0,1,2,3) , shuffle them to get something like array(3,2,0,1) , and store that list in the cookie. Then, as we progress through this random list of indices, we get the sequence:

spelling/file4.txt
spelling/file3.txt
spelling/file1.txt
spelling/file2.txt

The cookie also stores the current position in this list of indices and when it reaches the end, we reshuffle and start over.

I realize all this may sound a bit confusing so maybe this gorgeous diagram will help:

… or maybe some code:

<?php

$fictional = glob("spelling/*.php");    // list of files
$max_index = count($fictional) - 1;
$indices = range( 0, $max_index );      // list of indices into list of files

session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION['indices']) || !isset($_SESSION['current'])) {

    shuffle($indices);
    $_SESSION['indices'] = serialize($indices);
    $_SESSION['current'] = 0;           // keep track of which index we're on

} else {

    $_SESSION['current']++;             // increment through the list of indices
                                        // on each reload of the page

}

// Get the list of indices from the session cookie
$indices = unserialize($_SESSION['indices']);

// When we reach the end of the list of indices,
// reshuffle and start over.
if ($_SESSION['current'] > $max_index) {

    shuffle($indices);
    $_SESSION['indices'] = serialize($indices);
    $_SESSION['current'] = 0;

}

// Get the current position in the list of indices
$current = $_SESSION['current'];

// Get the index into the list of files
$index = $indices[$current];

// include the pseudo-random, non-repeating file
include( $fictional[$index] );

?>