Re: [PHP-DB] Generating random numbers

Is the most important thing to be random or to be unique?   If you need 
unique, you can use a timestamp including microseconds. Maybe using 
something like microtime():
http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.microtime.php

The only other way you're probably going to guarentee that you don't repeat 
numbers is to keep a list of what's been used and compare against it.  
Otherwise, there's always going to be a slim chance you'll repeat a number.

What do you plan on using it for?  Maybe someone can give a better 
recommendation for what you need.   And will this number be generated by 
PHP or the database?  Or can it be either?

-TG

----- Original Message -----
From: "A. Joseph" <[email protected]>
To: "Evert Lammerts" <[email protected]>
Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:21 +0100
Subject: [PHP-DB] Generating random numbers

> What is the best way to generating random numbers and you are sure that the
> script will never generate the generated ones?
> 
> I`m using mysql database, but this out of SQL AUTO_INCREMENT stuff, I need a
> real random generator that will never generate what has been generated.