Randomizing a url weekly.....

[MattchuB]

Okay, I'm trying to figure out a way to put a url into a div, but I want the url to randomize once a week. I want to have a set of urls that will switch once a week at random and I want to place it in a div without using javascript if at all possible, but if I have to, that's fine. Please help. Thanks. :)

[pyro]

How 'bouts this?

<?PHP

# set up an array of the urls that you would like to use
$urls = array("http://www.ryanbrill.com/", "http://www.infinitypages.com/", "http://www.webdevfaqs.com");
$file = "current.txt"; # this will be automatically created

$time = 0;
$week = 60*60*24*7; # one week in seconds

if (file_exists($file)) {
$contents = file($file);
$contents = $contents[0];
list ($time, $url) = explode("|", $contents); # split the file
}

if ($time+$week < time()) { # if the time in the file + a week is less than the current time
$url = $urls[rand(0, count($urls)-1)]; # random url
$time = time();
$string = $time."|".$url;
# write new time and url to the file
$fp = fopen($file, "w");
flock($fp, LOCK_EX);
fwrite($fp, $string);
flock($fp, LOCK_UN);
fclose($fp);
}
echo "<div>$url</div>";

?>

[MattchuB]

I tried that but it made nothing appear in the div. I changed the three urls to three of my own, but left the rest of it the same. All I did was copy and paste your code into the div in my page. Is there something more that I need to do? Or is it something in the code? Or do I need to change something other than just the urls? Please help. :confused:

[pyro]

Just tried the code again -- works fine for me. Do you have a link?

[MattchuB]

http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/csshtml.html

The blank section on the right is where the random urls should be. Thanks.

[pyro]

PHP nearly always requires a .php extention... :)

[MattchuB]

So, how do I make one of those?

[pyro]

Just save the file with a .php extention. Most (I'd think ALL) HTML editors will be able to do this. If not, use notepad, and find a new editor.

[MattchuB]

All I did was copy your code into the div, I didn't make a seperate file, if I do that, how do I link the div to it?

[pyro]

Why make it a separate file? Just drop the code in, give the page a .php extention, and you should be good to go...

[MattchuB]

so instead of an html page, I'll have a php page? Okay, if you say so....

[pyro]

Yes, you are using PHP, so you have a .php extention... works nicely... ;)

[MattchuB]

Okay, something bad happened. Go here: http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/csshtml.php and find out.

It appears to be a problem with this chunk of code: if (file_exists($file)) {
$contents = file($file);
$contents = $contents[0];
list ($time, $url) = explode("|", $contents); # split the file
}

[pyro]

Try making a .txt file named current.txt and drop this into it:

0|http://www.someurl.com/

[MattchuB]

Then what do I do? I just save a text doc with that url inside it?

[pyro]

Yes, and upload it to the same directory as the script. The script should have worked by itself, though...

[MattchuB]

I did that but it still doesn't work.

[pyro]

Throw this into a .php file and give me a link:

<?PHP
phpinfo();
?>

[MattchuB]

K, I made a php file called test.php and the link is: http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/test.php

[pyro]

Hmm... everything looks good. Make sure the file current.txt is CHMODed to 666 (though the script should have worked fine, when there was no text file at all).

If none of that works, try specifying a root path to the file, for the $file variable.

[MattchuB]

How do I CHMOD it to 666? And how do I specify a root path to the fine, for the $file variable?

[pyro]

To CHMOD the file, you'll want to use an FTP program. You'll have to read how to do it in your specific program. Also, to set a root path, use something like this:

$file = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/absolute/path/to/file.txt";

So, if I had the file in my main directory, it would look like this:

$file = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/file.txt";

[MattchuB]

I'm using WS_FTP and the only CHMOD thing that I can see is a section of boxes to check, there is no place to enter a value. Also, do I put the root path thingy in the current.txt file or the .php file with the random thing in it?

[pyro]

Set it to read and write for Owner, Group, and Other, or rw-rw-rw.

Also, the root path will go in the .php file.

[MattchuB]

When I set it to rw rw rw, it gave me an error that said "553 Permission denied on server. (chmod) ! Chmod failed. It mat not be supported on remote site." What does that mean? Also, where in the .Php file should I put the root path?

[MattchuB]

Never mind that last part, I found where to put the absoulte root path. It still doesn't work though. Heres the url: http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/csshtml.php

[pyro]

Originally posted by MattchuB
When I set it to rw rw rwHow did you set it?

For the script, you can set the root path on line 5...

[MattchuB]

I right clicked the file in the ftp window, then clicked chmod (unix) then checked the boxes for read and write on owner group and other, just like you said.

[pyro]

Please try posting your modified script.

[MattchuB]

K, this is just what's inside the div on the main page: <?PHP

# set up an array of the urls that you would like to use
$urls = array("http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/rlyndsey.html", "http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/ralison.html", "http://cs.clark.edu/~swingclub/newsitecss/rmatty.html");
$file = $_server['document_root']."/newsitecss/current.txt"; # this will be automatically created

$time = 0;
$week = 60*60*24*7; # one week in seconds

if (file_exists($file)) {
$contents = file($file);
$contents = $contents[0];
list ($time, $url) = explode("|", $contents); # split the file
}

if ($time+$week < time()) { # if the time in the file + a week is less than the current time
$url = $urls[rand(0, count($urls)-1)]; # random url
$time = time();
$string = $time."|".$url;
# write new time and url to the file
$fp = fopen($file, "w");
flock($fp, LOCK_EX);
fwrite($fp, $string);
flock($fp, LOCK_UN);
fclose($fp);
}
echo "<div>$url</div>";

?>

[pyro]

Change this:

$file = $_server['document_root']."/newsitecss/current.txt"; # this will be automatically created
to this:

$file = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/newsitecss/current.txt"; # this will be automatically created

[MattchuB]

Okay, I changed that, but it still has an error, it's a bit different now, the first error is longer, but that's all.

[MattchuB]

If you want, I can attach a zip file with all the code for the site in it and you can look at it....