Random Block

New Member Joined: Apr 15, 2006 Posts: 9

I'm looking for a block that will display other blocks at random or by list.

One time it might show block-1.php, then after a refresh, block-2.php and so on and so forth.

Anyone heard of such a thing or know how to code this?

registered · Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6437

Interesting... You could try randomly including the other blocks in the random blocks block file.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:20 pm

huh?

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:32 pm

Thanks for the laugh guys.megabyte2001, when I first came here, boy how many times did I think to myself to type Just that.

kguske, you have the exact idea I was thinking about.

Now megabyte, do you want this to show blocks that are not active?
Basically all types of blocks?
After thinking about this I was thinking to using another directory.

Paste this in your BEST text editor:

<?php
if ( !defined('BLOCK_FILE') ) {
Header("Location: ../index.php");
die();
}

$directory='random_blocks';
$countrand=0;
if (!($handlerand = opendir($directory))) {
die('Failure to read from '.$directory);
}

//right from php.net, no reason to reinvent the wheel.
while (false !== ($file = readdir($handlerand))) {
if(($file!=='.')AND($file!='..')){
$countrand=$countrand+1;
//This turns it into an array to later be used.
$file_name[$countrand]=$file;

}
}

$rnum=rand(1,$countrand);//Dont need to use anymore then we already have

include($file_name[$rnum]);
?>

Now name it something like block-Random_blocks.php.
Now you have the block that will have the random_blocks you selected.
In your site root, make a folder called random_blocks, upload the blocks you want it to use.
Hope you find this to be what you are looking for.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:55 pm

Now this is tested, but not tested against security, I dont really see anything that would cause any security issue, I cant see how this could be hijacked or placed under attack. Hope you find it usefull.

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:32 am

Works great...thanx

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:07 am

Thanks, darklord - that was what I had in mind - just didn't have the time to put the code together and test. Nice job!

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:25 am

Glad it worked for you. RavensScripts