Random number weirdness

[Dana]

I'm seeing strange things with the Random function.

The first time I use it (in a loop to select some numbers, say 10), it works OK:

Random(1, $array[0], 1) where $array[0] is 4675:

3464, 1354, 3989, 3166, 2493, 1020, 238, 906, 3433, 2576

Then, the same syntax in another part of the program but run one at a time with a msgbox each time to check it, gives me clearly not random results:

14, 14, 5, 984, 7, 984, 978, 13, 6, 13, 10, 3, 10, 4, 6, 4, 7, 14, 2657, 2659, 2646, 7, 2, 3, 5, 6, 3790, 13, 3493, 841, 9, 11, 5, 6, 3496, 3, 3790, 13, 978, 12, 984....

As you can see there is a clear grouping of numbers in certain ranges. What's odd is that I don't see this grouping in the initial looped run. But during the second stage, the numbers are always in the same ranges (grouped around 1-10, 980, 3490, etc.)

I didn't use the SRandom function to set the seed... if you don't use it what does the Random function use? However, if I do use the SRandom function, setting the seed with a number calculated form a timer function (based on how long the user waits before clicking OK), I still get the same kinds of numbers.

What am I missing?

[JohnOne]

This is one of those times where you should post example code replicating the problem.

[MvGulik]

SRandom(), if you don't use it what does the Random function use?

Some random seed value is used at the start I'm correct. (If you like to know the used seed number, for reverence or debugging purpose, you have to use SRandom() with your own fixed or random generated seed number/value.

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if I do use the SRandom function, setting the seed with a number calculated form a timer function (based on how long the user waits before clicking OK), I still get the same kinds of numbers.

Your probably feeding SRandom() a value out of its accepted range.

note:

- timer: 0 ... 2^63-1 (might have no direct limit, considering its returned as double/float type)

- SRandom(): -2^31 ... 2^31-1

---

Global Const $INT31u = Int('0x0080000000') ;; (2^31), int64. (2147483648)
Global Const $INT32u = Int('0x0100000000') ;; (2^32), int64. (4294967296)
Func ___RandomTimedSeed() ;; Set seed base on current timer value, returns used seed value.
    Local $iSeed = Mod(Int(TimerInit()), $INT32u) - ($INT31u) ;; wraps to [-2^31 and 2^31-1]. (+ value shift)
    SRandom($iSeed)
    Return $iSeed
EndFunc

(oops, better add the globals I use to.) Edited December 27, 2010 by MvGulik

[Dana]

Ah, got it. Thanks for the suggestions anyway. Not a problem with the random function, but a typo on my part exposing a different problem.

My script is manipulating randomly selected files. Along the way it checks the file size. Seems AutoIt doesn't support unicode characters from console reads (I was using the DOS dir command). Thus I was returning some invalid filenames. Because of the typo, my script was only looking for zero size files... or invalid filenames which return zero size. The grouping was folder names with those characters.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Dana