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Randomizing numbers in an array

abockover
Deleted

Oct 4, 2000, 4:31 PM

Post #1 of 3 (1307 views)

Randomizing numbers in an array	Can't Post

Hello,

This program randomizes a possiblity of 10 numbers (1..10). For each number generated, it is (suppose) to be written to an array. The program checks the array each time it generates a new number to see if that number has already been generated. If it has, it generates a new number (if possible), if not, it keeps that number and writes it to the array.

What it WRONG? Could someone help?

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR>

#!/usr/bin/perl

$numstds = 10;

for ($count = 1; $count <= $numstds; ++$count) {
$match = "true";
while ($match eq "true") {
$RanNum = int rand (10) + 1;
&do_compare;

$length = @RandNums;
for ($i = 0; $i <= $length; ++$i) {

print "Content Type: text/html\n\n";
print "<html>\n";
print "<body>\n";
print "$RandNums[$i]";
print "</body>\n";
print "</html>\n";

exit;

}
}
}

sub do_compare {
foreach $num (@RandNums) {
if ($RandNum eq $num) {
return $match = "true";
} else {
return $match = "false";
}
}
}
</pre><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kanji
User

Oct 4, 2000, 7:46 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1307 views)

Re: Randomizing numbers in an array [In reply to]	Can't Post

For starters, I don't see anywhere in your code where you insert numbers into @RandNums.

Is that really how it is or a typo on your part in the code?

You also have an exit() inside your while(), so no matter what you do, you're always going to exit() after the first number is generated.

( As an aside, there's no reason to set $match to "true" or "false" when 1 or 0 will do. )

I suspect you meant something like ...

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR>

$numstds = 10;
for ($count = 1; $count <= $numstds; ++$count) {
$match = 1;
while ( $match ) {
$RanNum = int rand (10) + 1;
$match = &do_compare;
}
push @RandNums, $RanNum;
}
sub do_compare {
foreach $num (@RandNums) {
return 1 if ($RandNum == $num);
}
return 0;
}</pre><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The trouble with that is it's going to take overly long getting the last few numbers as chances are much higher that the number is already in @RandNums and it'll have to look for another number.

A better way would be to take the found number out of the pool of numbers to randomly shuffle. ie,

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR>

@ordered = ( 1 .. 10 );

push @random, splice( @ordered, int(rand @ordered), 1 )
while @ordered;</pre><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, I know that's ugly as sin, but it works and is just to illustrate the idea.

If you can't decipher that ...

While there are elements in @ordered, int(rand @ordered) selects a random array index, which splice() then extracts (so the array shrinks!) and gives as an argument to push @random.

[This message has been edited by Kanji (edited 10-04-2000).]

abockover
Deleted

Oct 5, 2000, 11:20 AM

Post #3 of 3 (1307 views)

Re: Randomizing numbers in an array [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thank you!

What you said to do worked.

I am sorry for sounding like an idiot, I am learning...

Thanks,

Aaron

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