Rand() question
Author
ok i feel stupid asking this but im calling
srand(3);
X=rand()%3;
and i get the same think everytime
why?
If you use the same seed every time, you will get the same result. Usually people pass the current time to srand.
That's correct.
srand() initialises your random number generator to a specific seed. So subsequent calls to rand() will always return the same sequence of numbers when the same seed was used.
You can feed the current time or some other really random value to srand() to have a unique chain of random numbers.
srand() initialises your random number generator to a specific seed. So subsequent calls to rand() will always return the same sequence of numbers when the same seed was used.
You can feed the current time or some other really random value to srand() to have a unique chain of random numbers.
Author
i need a number 0-2 as a rand # when i do this rand()%2 it gives me the same think still. grrr!
When in doubt, read the specifications of the function in question.
(or as we used to say, RTFM :).)
A good place to look is MSDN:
rand()
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vclib/html/_crt_rand.asp
srand()
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vclib/html/_crt_srand.asp
[EDIT]
I noticed you also seem to be having problems with the % (modulus) operator.
What it does is return the remainder of a division between two numbers.
EG: 10 % 10 gives zero, as ten divides ten evenly.
Wheras 10 % 5 yields 5.
[/EDIT]
- Jacob
(or as we used to say, RTFM :).)
A good place to look is MSDN:
rand()
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vclib/html/_crt_rand.asp
srand()
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vclib/html/_crt_srand.asp
[EDIT]
I noticed you also seem to be having problems with the % (modulus) operator.
What it does is return the remainder of a division between two numbers.
EG: 10 % 10 gives zero, as ten divides ten evenly.
Wheras 10 % 5 yields 5.
[/EDIT]
- Jacob
If I remember correctly, to get a number between 0 and n, use
rand() % (n + 1)
Also, to seed with time, I usually use:
srand((UINT)time(NULL));
rand() % (n + 1)
Also, to seed with time, I usually use:
srand((UINT)time(NULL));
I think the proper funcion to get the time would be GetTickCount.
edit: It doesn't get the time, but rather the number of milliseconds elapsed since the program began execution. This will never (very seldom) be the same, even on the same macine with no other tasks running.
edit: It doesn't get the time, but rather the number of milliseconds elapsed since the program began execution. This will never (very seldom) be the same, even on the same macine with no other tasks running.
This topic is closed to new replies.
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