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tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

hello all

yes i'am still around ...heheeh Smile

anyways i have a dumb question i must be over looking something..when i uses the @random function it works fine BUT when i exit the program and re-start it it will start at the Beginning meaning this :

jules · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:59 am Post subject:

The @random function always delivers the same series of numbers each time. This can be useful in many applications, for example when you are testing something and want to compare the results of one run of the program with another one.

If you want different results each time you have to use the RANDOM command to seed the random number generator with a different number each time. I usually use the date/time function for this, e.g. @datetime(hns).

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

ok, but will that start out the same when you first start the program? i know it does random just fine when the program is running and if you don't exit it...this is hard to explain

take my code i have posted above, run it in the vds ide don't complie it...now when you exit it and start it it will always start at 2 but if you don't exit it and just keep hitting the "run" it does random just fine...is there any way to make it so it will do random at start up?

thanks

Hooligan · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

The @random() function is whats known as "pseudo-random"... Meaning it will always start with a "seed" and select the first number based on a very specific algorithm. Then it will select the second number using the same algorithm, and so on. This will result in a series of repeatable pseudo-random numbers, based on that "seed", (presumably zero, if you don't specify one). If you specified another seed (using the RANDOM command), it would create another series of repeatable pseudo-random numbers based on that seed. Therefore, using time to select the seed, would result in a different seed being selected to bases that particular instances' "series" of pseudo-random numbers on. Or at least a 1 in 82400 chance, if you used hours/minutes/seconds.

Hope this helps...
Hooligan

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

i understand what ya mean ( i think) but will i have to keep the vds program running to get random? or should i get random numbers when it start up for the first time? i'am trying to find out if i'am doing something wrong or is this normal?

thanks

vtol · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 11:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Tim

I prolly spent more time experimenting with Random than anyone - lol
I have your problem plus many more with Random, I tried everything and Random dont seem to work for me(you have to be there - like you said).
But Mac found me a work around that might work for you also, experiment with number shuffling instead of Random maybe.

GL

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

vtol - if ya would can you share what mac should ya Smile

or if mac's around i hope he will post Smile

thanks

vtol · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 5:33 am Post subject:

I posted a little random testing tool at 'VDS5 SourceCode' section...
Hope it helps you.
cheerios

vdsalchemist · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:17 am Post subject:

tim,
Take a quicklook at the code below. I think it does what you want to do. It actually does it 2 different ways.

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

vtol - i haven't looked at your yet Smile

dragonsphere - what you posted seems to work better then what i have i did some chnages to it and at least it don't start out with the same number however if you run it right after the program gets done it does make a pattern meaning this

5004.exe
5005.exe
5006.exe

in whick case i don't know if that part could be more random BUT its sure alot better then what i had...

thanks

here is what i have:

jules · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:35 pm Post subject:

Perhaps I don't understand what you are trying to achieve, but I think you should be doing:

vdsalchemist · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 2:17 pm Post subject:

Tim,
You have to seed the Random number generator with the RANDOM command before you use the @RANDOM function just as Jules and I have suggested. We both used the @datetime function to seed it with a fairly unique number I modulated mine to match the min and max that you had originally choosen. Also if these are just temp files then just use the API that I suggested. The only issue with the API is for some reason when it is in a loop it does not generate a new unique name Sad

So just use the combo of the RANDOM command to seed the generator and @RANDOM function to retrive the random number. This should work unless the clock on your PC is not working or you have fallen into some kind of space time warp Wink

hehehehe.... Also the larger the max the more random and less likely the pattern will be repeated.

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

dragonsphere - I see what you are say (i think) so i should uses this:
jules - i just pick exe for a example to show what the random is doing, i will be using it for making a ini file. I guess i could have used a ini in a example.. the reason why i want a random name is cuase the ini file will hold program data that i don't want the user to find easy..and if the user does find it . it wouldn't be the same file name on a other p.c..sorry i guess i should have say this before...

thanks

Dr. Dread · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 6:16 am Post subject:

If you want to generate random names that are hard to find, then don't stick with numbers only - they
could be fairly easy to spot if you sort folder contents.

Perhaps have a look here: http://forum.vdsworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=125
Doesn't even use RANDOM coz it's originally for VDS3, he-he

Greetz
Dread

tim6389 · Professional Member Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Posts: 790

Dr. Dread - thank you very much i like that better..... Smile

thanks to all that has help

tim