Automatic refresh with proverb

[Bravogolf]

Hello.
It has been a long time since I came here, as I can usually figure out the stuff I need.
Are all the regulars still here (Chris Hunt, Onpnt..)?

Anyways, I have a page that every time it refreshes, I would like it to display something else (like a new proverb each time the page refresh).

Any help at all would be very much appreciated..

Thanks

 

[BabyJeffy]

Hi bravogolf,

Some things you will need:
- database
- ability to use a server technology that allows you to talk to the database (asp, php, jsp, cfm)

You would populate the database with, say, a simple table containing the proverb. On page load, server-side, you request a random record (I'm sure once you know the specific applications you are going to use, people will be willing to post a decent query string to do this) and put the proverb text into a variable... and then echo that variable content to the page where appropriate.

So... next step... send us some details of what server technologies you are going to use!

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[Bravogolf]

But surely it can be done upon refresh, as in each time the page is refreshed, it calls a function that retrieves a proverb, and writes/displays it?

 

[BabyJeffy]

That is correct... and it is exactly what I suggested doing.

I think you are assuming that you can use Javascript to communicate with a database of some kind. This is not the case (client-side). To access a database you need to communicate server-side using something like asp, jsp, php.

It may very well be possible to do something with the IE-for-windows-only exec() commands using Javascript... but that will, of course, not work on any other browser or platform.

Jeff

 

[Foamcow]

Or you could do it all client side with a JavaScript array and a function to randomly select and display 1 item from the array when the page loads.

I'd go with the Database option if possible.
And yes, it would pull a random proverb every time the page loads/is refreshed.

 

[Bravogolf]

Hmmm

/Rubs chin thoughtfully.

Ok, thank you, Jeff, I should check here at work (intranet).

 

[ChrisHunt]

I don't think you need to go overboard with databases and suchlike just to do a simple random quote generator, unless you want to pick from thousands of proverbs.

Take a look at how I've done it in

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

. The couplet at the top is produced by a simple javascript, where the possible options are hard-coded into the script. It changes every time you refresh. Folk with Javascript switched off won't see a quote - their loss, but not a show stopper.

By contrast, the random "Gem of the Day" link is generated server-side, albeit not from a database (yet) though it could be. It appears to all users, JS-enabled or not, but doesn't change on refresh.

That's probably more than you wanted to know. Feel free to rip off my script and bend it to your purpose, I nicked it from somebody myself!

-- Chris Hunt

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

http://www.napitalia.org.uk

http://www.leicesteryha.org.uk

 

[Bravogolf]

Much obliged, Mr. Hunt.

 

[glenmac]

I also use a js file for famous quotes. If you want I'll send you the code. There's an example on my site.

http://lantzvillecomputers.ca

Glen

http://lantzvillecomputers.ca