Selecting a file from a directory randomly and then display it

Question

I have a directory which contains several text files. What I'm trying to do is to randomly select one of the files and then display it. Here's what i got so far, but i still haven't managed to get it working. Any idea's? Thanks.

<?php
function random_pic($dir = 'wp-content\files')
{
    $files = opendir($dir . '/*.txt');
    $file = array_rand($files);
    return $files[$file];
}

while(!feof($file)) { 
        echo fgets($file) . "<br />";
    }

    fclose($file);
?>

You may have permission issue. Check your error log. – IamGhale Sep 20 '14 at 08:44 — IamGhale, Sep 20 '14 at 08:44
Try [`glob`](http://php.net/manual/en/function.glob.php) – georg Sep 20 '14 at 08:45 — georg, Sep 20 '14 at 08:45

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 19 '16 at 14:07

1

scandir will put all elements in the directory into an array. Then use array_rand to choose a random element from the array.

$dir = "/path/to/pictures/";
$dirarray = scandir( $dir );
unset($dirarray [0]);
unset($dirarray [1]);
$content = file_get_contents( $dir . $dirarray[array_rand($dirarray )] );
echo $content;

The unset commands are to remove . and .. from the array. This would for example result in echoing picturename.jpg.

edited Nov 19 '16 at 14:07

SharpC

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answered Sep 20 '14 at 08:40

Ole Haugset

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This gets file names in the directory. i need it to display the content. I'm not sure how to use the output of the array with the fopen. – user2334436 Sep 20 '14 at 09:11
Sorry, I didnt read your question correctly. Ive updated my response now so that it will post the content of a random file instead – Ole Haugset Sep 20 '14 at 09:28

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 20 '14 at 09:13

0

use function name with parameters in while loop condition and check function returning a file name or not. Check the following link for detail http://php.net/manual/en/function.readdir.php

edited Sep 20 '14 at 09:13

Gerald Schneider

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answered Sep 20 '14 at 08:29

vinod

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Garima · Answer 3 · 2014-09-20T08:55:53.893

0

Try this:-

Use glob function to get all files in a directory, and then take a random element from that array and return it. Then read the file and echo its content.

function get_random_file($dir = 'folder_name')
{
    $files = glob($dir . '/*.txt');
    $file = array_rand($files);
    return $files[$file];
}

   $fh = fopen($myFile, 'r');
   $theData = fread($fh, filesize($myFile));
   fclose($fh);
   echo $theData;

edited Sep 20 '14 at 08:55

answered Sep 20 '14 at 08:47

Garima

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$myFile is not identified in $fh = fopen($myFile, 'r');. – user2334436 Sep 20 '14 at 09:12
Make sure that you have to give here directory path also. For example :- fopen("/home/".$myFile, "r"); Please check the fopen php manual. http://php.net/manual/en/function.fopen.php – Garima Sep 20 '14 at 11:13

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 20 '14 at 08:50

0

You have wrong slash in your directory.

$dir = 'wp-content\files'

should be

$dir = 'wp-content/files'

It should be forward slash not back slash. Also check permission of the directory that you are accessing.

answered Sep 20 '14 at 08:50

user4055288

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Selecting a file from a directory randomly and then display it

4 Answers4