Array Functions
PHP Manual

array_rand

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

array_randPick one or more random entries out of an array

Description

mixed array_rand ( array $input [, int $num_req = 1 ] )

array_rand() is rather useful when you want to pick one or more random entries out of an array.

Parameters

input

The input array.

num_req

Specifies how many entries you want to pick. Trying to pick more elements than there are in the array will result in an E_WARNING level error.

Return Values

If you are picking only one entry, array_rand() returns the key for a random entry. Otherwise, it returns an array of keys for the random entries. This is done so that you can pick random keys as well as values out of the array.

Changelog

Version Description
5.2.10 The resulting array of keys is no longer shuffled.
4.2.0The random number generator is seeded automatically.

Examples

Example #1 array_rand() example

<?php
$input 
= array("Neo""Morpheus""Trinity""Cypher""Tank");
$rand_keys array_rand($input2);
echo 
$input[$rand_keys[0]] . "\n";
echo 
$input[$rand_keys[1]] . "\n";
?>

See Also


Array Functions
PHP Manual