| Re: Most efficient way to randomize a quiz from a database [message #170599 is a reply to message #170598] |
Tue, 09 November 2010 18:46  |
Matthew Leonhardt
Messages: 9
Registered: November 2010
Karma:
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Junior Member |
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"Erwin Moller"
<Since_humans_read_this_I_am_spammed_too_much(at)spamyourself(dot)com> wrote in
message news:4cd9724a$0$81484$e4fe514c(at)news(dot)xs4all(dot)nl...
> On 11/9/2010 3:55 PM, Matthew Leonhardt wrote:
>> "Erwin Moller"
>> <Since_humans_read_this_I_am_spammed_too_much(at)spamyourself(dot)com> wrote in
>> message news:4cd91905$0$41103$e4fe514c(at)news(dot)xs4all(dot)nl...
>>> On 11/8/2010 7:52 PM, Mason Barge wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 8 Nov 2010 11:45:16 -0500, "Matthew Leonhardt"
>>>> <matt(at)mattleonhardtmusic(dot)com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > "Mason Barge"<masonbarge(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote in message
>>>> > news:s87gd61ldtnkeuuc817uiej2qmv0s4vc88(at)4ax(dot)com...
>>>> >> I'm creating a quiz using PHP 5.3 and MySQL (mysqli). The database
>>>> >> has
>>>> >> about 1000 questions and answers, in categories, and I want to ask 12
>>>> >> randomly selected questions, one at a time.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Which would be more efficient:
>>>> >>
>>>> >> 1) Make one call to the database and build an array, stored in
>>>> >> session
>>>> >> variables, of 12 randomly chosen rows; or
>>>> >
>>>> > Most likely this method. You're talking about a fairly small amount
>>>> > of
>>>> > data
>>>> > though, so I highly doubt you need to be worried about efficiency...
>>>> >
>>>> >> 2) Make 12 requests to the database?
>>>> >>
>>>> >> I'm open to other general approaches if anyone has a suggestion I
>>>> >> haven't
>>>> >> considered.
>>>> >
>>>> > You could also opt for a hybrid solution...generate a session array
>>>> > containing 12 primary keys and then with each page load, just pop the
>>>> > next
>>>> > question, so to speak :)
>>>>
>>>> Yeah that's what I'd do.
>>>>
>>>> >> I'd like to avoid reloading the page after every answer and I don't
>>>> >> see
>>>> >> how I could use Ajax with #1. The quiz has to be in PHP because I
>>>> >> need
>>>> >> to
>>>> >> generate the final score as a PHP variable, not a javascript
>>>> >> variable.
>>>> >
>>>> > I don't see how #1 prevents an AJAX solution. What's your cause for
>>>> > worry
>>>> > about that? Regarding the language in which the final score is
>>>> > calculated,
>>>> > look at json_encode() and json_decode() for convenient data-passing
>>>> > between
>>>> > the two languages.
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> Thanks so much, I've been out of touch with PHP for a long time and
>>>> didn't
>>>> know about JSON. It solves so many problems with this kind of thing.
>>>
>>> Hi Mason Barge,
>>>
>>> I don't want to be too negative, but you exaggerate things.
>>> JSon is just a dataformat definition to exchange data.
>>
>> Yes...
>>
>>> You have *your* serverside PHP scripts, and *your* JavaScript in the
>>> browser.
>>> So you might as well make up your own format and use that. ;-)
>>> I don't see how JSON is solving so many problems for you.
>
> Hi Matthew,
>
> It seems I have irritated you, which was not my intention.
> Read on.
Not in the least. My days of allowing usenet to irritate me are long in my
past :)
I simply thought that your reaction to his excitement over the discovery of
json_ functions was undue and the "too negative" that you meant to avoid.
>
>>
>> ...how does it just being a format definition (with provided functions
>> for
>> performing data conversion) NOT solve problems? Why was it
>> functionalized
>> into the language if it *didn't* solve problems?
>
> Strawman fallacy: You are not attacking my statements or position (or
> intention!), but a ridiculed version of it.
Your position, if I understood it correctly, was that JSON is nothing to get
excited about because he still has to write the PHP/JS. You also implied
that he could just as easily create and implement his own format.
The OP expressly issued a concern about the language in which the quiz was
processed because he was unsure of how to pass data between the two
technologies. He hadn't expressed concerns over the implentation of
processing the form or initiating the AJAX XML request...
Hardly a strawman.
> I never said JSON doesn't solve problems.
> I have no problems with JSON at all: JSON is a nice way to transport data,
> and thus a time-saver in some situations.
Which, as I understood the OP, is exactly what he was after...
>
>>
>> Passing a complex JS object to a PHP AJAX script--problem. Using JSON as
>> an
>> encoding method--solution.
>>
>
> Yes, I know that, but.... A complex JavaScript object? For a quiz?
Complex in the sense of something beyond simple (scalar) or compound
(array). For example, it could be an array containing variables and other
arrays. It doesn't have to be mind-warpingly complicated.
> I am sure you can think up a few ways to pack questions and answers and
> unpack them in JavaScript.
> (I programmed those in hidden/refresh frames long before XMLHttpRequest
> was there. That really isn't complex at all.)
>
> The reason I replied (to Mason Barge) was only because I got the
> impression he was missing something: Like he didn't know/understand that
> he could send *any* data that suited him with a XMLHttpRequest alone, with
> or without JSON.
I didn't get that impression.
> He also seems to think JSON is something of PHP ("Thanks so much, I've
> been out of touch with PHP for a long time and didn't know about JSON.").
> If JSON is anything, it is JavaScript. Other languages simply offer the
> JSON-packing.
I read that as "I didn't know about the JSON functions."
>
> So I told Mason he can send *any* data since it is his PHP output and his
> JavaScript. I think that is important for him to understand.
Agreed. Again, my read of the OP was that he did understand. But, if he's
followed the thread down this rabbit hole, I'm *sure* he does now.
> Call me olf-fashioned, but I think a programmer should first understand
> the nature of a XMLHttpRequest, exchange some data, and then, when
> understanding the process, use JSON.
> In that order.
No disagreements there. I didn't evaluate the OP's question in a manner
that indicated to me a need for him to brush up on AJAX methodology.
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