help building online competition

simple_but_sweet

hi, was wondering if anyone can help me (go easy on me if I get the technical terms completely wrong as I'm posting for a friend).
Basically my friend has to build an online competition using php, so far he has build the basic page and when people submit their email it is added to a word file. On the page he has the time of the server showing but isn't sure how to set a closing date for the competition - can anyone help?
Also, how does he go about getting the software to pick one random name and put it into another file?

(p.s this isn't a real competition its more of a mini test to help build his experience)

InsideInsurance

Normally you would use a database rather than a text file (MySQL if he is using PHP).

Personally dont use PHP but the logic is the same no matter the language, you'd simply have an IF THEN ELSE type statement. Define a variable with the end date. Check IF the date now is before the stated end date variable, if it is THEN show the submission form ELSE show the competitions ended text or redirect them to such a page.

Alternatively just check if the date is equal to or greater than the end date and redirect to the end of competition page

Using a text file to pick a winner I would count the number of lines and then generate a random number between 1 and the line count and then return that line as the winner and store it into a new file.

paddyrg

This question is a bit bigger than a forum post can answer, I suggest - especially if it is Chinese Whispers friend to friend. Programming PHP or any language is as much about architecture and design as syntax, and that's a big deal.

On a quick-fix front - use a chron job to rename the php/webpage from 'compo.php to dead.php, and rename compoclosed.php to compo.php ;-)

libra10

There's a random number generator here.

http://www.mathgoodies.com/calculators/random_no_custom.html

HTH

simple_but_sweet

thanks for the replies! my brother was actually applying for a job and they asked him to build a competition using word, and he has only ever done it using a database & hes graduating (hopefully) in a few weeks so hasn't had any experience with it. once again apologies if anything i've written doesn't make sense as its double dutch to me lol.

thanks again