PHP - Get random line from file with custom line ending

Question

I am trying to save a random line from a file to a variable ($fortune), that part is easy. The part that I am having trouble with is the "line" can be multiple lines. Every line will end with \n% (enter key plus %). How would I get this to a variable? An example of the file is below:

"There is a wiki on iptables http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iptables and don't mess around with iptables - it's really tricky"

Husse Mar 15 2007

%

"The Ubuntu developers have gone to great lengths to make sudo as smooth as possible in the GUI environment, and they've done a very good job. By re-enabling the root user and even logging in as root, you literally throw their work out the window, take your safety belt off and drive head-on into traffic. Yes, it is a bit insane.."

Husse Mar 20 2007

%

(It would pick everything before a "%")

`preg_split` maybe? Or `explode("\n%", $text);` or `"\n%\n"` — AbraCadaver, Oct 04 '14 at 02:19

AbraCadaver · Answer 1 · 2014-10-04T02:38:55.753

1

Try:

$array = explode("\n%\n", $text);

print_r($array);

Or:

$array = array_map('trim', explode("%", $text));

print_r($array);

Where $text is the string that you read from the file.

edited Oct 04 '14 at 02:38

answered Oct 04 '14 at 02:22

AbraCadaver

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This only works if there is no space or any sign between the lines themselves though. – Ingwie Phoenix Oct 04 '14 at 02:23
And... The OP can show what is in the file. What they show appears to be `\n%\n` – AbraCadaver Oct 04 '14 at 02:25
you can use % sign to explode the sting and then use trim to remove the additional line spacing. – Usman Khawaja Oct 04 '14 at 02:35
Based on what you said I got this: `` But it does not work – Bob Carlson Oct 04 '14 at 12:38
I see. When you just throw code together with no idea what it's doing it usually doesn't work. – AbraCadaver Oct 04 '14 at 14:22

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

Have you considered using a regular expression to catch all of that?

Rather chunked, but here is what I got:

php > preg_match("/%(.*?)%/s", $str, $arr);
php > print_r($arr);
Array
(
    [0] => %
my fortune is quite the ugly one

litterally
%
    [1] => 
my fortune is quite the ugly one

litterally

)

Its not the most optimal regualr expression, and I basically took my inspiration from here: Regex, get string value between two characters

But it should get you started!

PHP - Get random line from file with custom line ending

2 Answers2