Hi there,
This is a small function, called array_pick(), which takes one argument
($array), an array, and returns the value of a random item.
Much of its usefulness stems from the new short array syntax, which lets you do
array_pick(["funlogo.png", "coollogo.jpg", "kittens.gif"]);, instead of $a =
array("funlogo.png", "coollogo.jpg", "kittens.gif"); $a = $a[array_rand($a)];
It's also useful for picking a random value out of a none-literal array. For
instance today it would have been handy for my markov chain propaganda generator
(not the most practical example, I realise.)
However, of course, PHP already has array_rand(), and an equivalent function
could be implemented in 3 lines of code. The reason I'd like it added to PHP
though is largely convenience. It's in at least two other languages I use
(Python's random.choice(), Game Maker/GML's choose()) and I use it quite often
in different projects (just today I've needed it 4 times in PHP code). It's also
the logical counterpart to array_rand(), which gets a random key, not a random
value, so it would help API completeness. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only
person who wants to fetch a random array value, not a random array key, too.
It's useful also in the scenario where you want a random value of nested arrays
($array['thing']['foo']).
Enough rambling, here's a pull request. https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/142
https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/142
--
Andrew Faulds
http://ajf.me/
Standard hazing:
- Tests?
- Docs?
Annoying if needed whining:
I think "array_pick" and "array_rand" are precisely the kind of
function naming that makes PHP infamous. I would suggest that
array_rand_key() and array_rand_value(), or array_rand() with an
argument to default to key (for BC).
Speed testing: Are there any metrics to support/prove this is faster
than existing PHP calls to do the same thing?
Hi there,
This is a small function, called array_pick(), which takes one argument
($array), an array, and returns the value of a random item.Much of its usefulness stems from the new short array syntax, which lets you do
array_pick(["funlogo.png", "coollogo.jpg", "kittens.gif"]);, instead of $a =
array("funlogo.png", "coollogo.jpg", "kittens.gif"); $a = $a[array_rand($a)];
It's also useful for picking a random value out of a none-literal array. For
instance today it would have been handy for my markov chain propaganda generator
(not the most practical example, I realise.)However, of course, PHP already has
array_rand(), and an equivalent function
could be implemented in 3 lines of code. The reason I'd like it added to PHP
though is largely convenience. It's in at least two other languages I use
(Python's random.choice(), Game Maker/GML's choose()) and I use it quite often
in different projects (just today I've needed it 4 times in PHP code). It's also
the logical counterpart toarray_rand(), which gets a random key, not a random
value, so it would help API completeness. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only
person who wants to fetch a random array value, not a random array key, too.
It's useful also in the scenario where you want a random value of nested arrays
($array['thing']['foo']).Enough rambling, here's a pull request. https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/142
https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/142--
Andrew Faulds
http://ajf.me/