This is a function that randomizes the order of the elements in an array.

<?php
function randomize_array($array)
{
$rand_items = array_rand($array, count($array));

$new_array = array();

foreach($rand_items as $value)
	{
	$new_array[$value] = $array[$value];
	}

	return $new_array;
}

$array = array('sleep' => 'Delay execution',
                    'show_source' => 'alias for highlight_file()',
                    'str_ireplace' => 'PHP5 Function',
                    'sizeof' => 'Alias for count',
                    'parse_url' => 'Parse a URL and return its components');

echo "<pre>"; print_r($array); echo "</pre>";

echo "<pre>"; print_r(randomize_array($array)); echo "</pre>";

/*
-- Initial Array

Array
(
    [sleep] => Delay execution
    [show_source] => alias for highlight_file()
    [str_ireplace] => PHP5 Function
    [sizeof] => Alias for count
    [parse_url] => Parse a URL and return its components
)

-- An example of a random result

Array
(
    [sizeof] => Alias for count
    [parse_url] => Parse a URL and return its components
    [sleep] => Delay execution
    [str_ireplace] => PHP5 Function
    [show_source] => alias for highlight_file()
)
*/
?>

NOTE: A similar function in PHP is shuffle() which assigns new keys to elements in the array. It removes any existing keys that may have been assigned, instead of just reordering them as our randomize_array() function does.

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