Chris Palmer wrote:

> If I run this procedure . . . 
> 
> clear
> ! time 12:00          /// resetting the system clock to 12:00

Why exactly are you doing this?

Thomas

I'm only resetting the clock to test the RANDOM() function, I need to be
sure that my numbers are 100% random and are not just a 1/1000 chance

Thanks


"Thomas Braun" <nospam@software-braun.de> wrote in message
news:zqek72t8amt5.175pio7wsuhx0$.dlg@40tude.net...
> Chris Palmer wrote:
>
> > If I run this procedure . . .
> >
> > clear
> > ! time 12:00          /// resetting the system clock to 12:00
>
> Why exactly are you doing this?
>
> Thomas

Chris Palmer wrote:

> I'm only resetting the clock to test the RANDOM() function, I need to be
> sure that my numbers are 100% random and are not just a 1/1000 chance

You will never get real random numbers without using a randomness source
(e.g. a physical process) which is known to be unpredictable (such as
radioactive decay).

Just a short quote from this (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_Number_Generator ) article:

"Anyone who uses software to produce random numbers is in a state of sin"

But maybe you are looking for a PRNG (pseudo random number generator) :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudorandom_number_generator

I'm not sure which of the proposed algorithms is used by the random()
function.

Thomas

Chris Palmer wrote:

> Hello
>  
> If I run this procedure . . .
>  
> clear
> ! time 12:00          /// resetting the system clock to 12:00
>  
> for aaa = 1 to 20
>     bbb = random()
>     ? bbb
> next
>  
> . . . . I get the same 20 random numbers everytime, is there any other 
> method of getting a random number without using the clock (a long shot I 
> know).
>  
> If not, could somebody please explain what part of the clock is used - 
> i.e. 100'th of a second, 1000's etc
>  
> Any Info would be usefull
>  
> Thanks
> Chris

Not sure but could old Clipper code help?  If so, try:

http://www.the-oasis.net/ftpmaster.php3?content=ftpgenrl.htm

look for random.zip.

Regan Cawkwell
Company  : Real Business Applications Ltd
Title    : Technical Support
Websites : www.rbauk.com   www.rba-uk.com   www.retailerexpress.co.uk
Email    : regan@rba-uk.com
------------------------------------------------------

Hi,
Sometime ago I was using this function  to generate some random series not a 
true random generator, but was fit my needs.

//---------------------------------------------------------------
function PseudoRandom(nMax)
return ( _nTicks_() % nMax) + 1
//---------------------------------------------------------------
static function _nTicks_()
local i := Replicate(Chr(0),8)
local nDll:=DllLoad("Kernel32.dll")
DllCall(nDll,32,"QueryPerformanceCounter", @i)
DllUnLoad(nDll)
return ( Bin2U(i)+(2**32)*(Bin2U(Right(i,4))) )
//---------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this can help you. Regards,
Pablo

Hi Chris,

For a start, the random sample rate is generally faster than the clock 
can produce samples unless there is loading on the processor.

I have attached a (1 - 100,000)  linear congruential Pseudo-Random 
Number Generator I coded some time back using modified Seconds() as the 
base seed.

Give it a try.

Greg Doran, Dublin Ireland.

Greg,

Could you re-post your gdRand.Prg file, I was able to open/save this file.
I was able to open/save the gdRand.Png file just fine.

Thanks,

Rick

Sorry, my security settings had been changed blocking the download.