From: Roger Carbol <rog AT col DOT ca>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: random #'s
Date: 29 Nov 1996 18:29:16 GMT
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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Murray Stokely wrote:
> 
>    Whats the best way to generate a random number from 0 to 500?  I
> tried the x=random(500) (borland way) and i got some huge number.
> After reading up on it I found out that random() always returns a #
> between 0 and MAX_INT_SIZE how do i create a much smaller random #?

The canonical answer has tended to be

x=random(seed)%500

Where % returns the modulus (remainder) after dividing by 500.

Seed is usually pulled from the system clock or keyboard timer or
whatever.

On the other hand, this is probably a non-runtime-speed-optimal way of
generating random numbers...you could generate a look-up table during
initialization, maybe...



Roger Carbol .. rog AT col DOT ca .. order in chaos