creating a unique number

[reggie]

I want to use 1 value ($surname='surname') to generate a unique number including the surname within the number. for example SURNAME123456789. And then to store this number in the database but checking that it doesnt exsist, but if id did to generate another. Not that it would generate two identical numbers of this length.Any ideas or suggestions. I am using php and mysql. Thanks.

[zppblood]

Use string concatenation with mt_rand(num1, num2) ($surname.mt_rand(1, 100)) or uniqid($surname, true).http://us3.php.net/manual/en/function.mt-rand.phphttp://us3.php.net/manual/en/function.uniqid.php