title: PHP pull random image from folder
body: <p>I am wondering about a "better" way of pulling a random image from a folder.</p>
  
  <p>Like say, to have php just select a random image from folder instead of searching and creating an array of it.</p>
  
  <p>here is how I do it today</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;?php
      $extensions = array('jpg','jpeg');
      $images_folder_path = ROOT.'/web/files/Header/';
      $images = array();
      srand((float) microtime() * 10000000);
  
      if ($handle = opendir($images_folder_path)) {
          while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle))) {
              if ($file != "." &amp;&amp; $file != "..") {
                  $ext = strtolower(substr(strrchr($file, "."), 1));
                  if(in_array($ext, $extensions)){
                  $images[] = $file;
                  }
              }
          }
      closedir($handle);
      }
      if(!empty($images)){
          $header_image = $images[array_rand($images)];
      } else {
          $header_image = ''; 
      }
  ?&gt;
  </code></pre>