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oldlinux-files/Ref-docs/manual Bash/abs-guide/abs-guide/seeding-random.sh
2024-02-19 00:21:47 -05:00

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#!/bin/bash
# seeding-random.sh: Seeding the RANDOM variable.
MAXCOUNT=25 # How many numbers to generate.
random_numbers ()
{
count=0
while [ "$count" -lt "$MAXCOUNT" ]
do
number=$RANDOM
echo -n "$number "
let "count += 1"
done
}
echo; echo
RANDOM=1 # Setting RANDOM seeds the random number generator.
random_numbers
echo; echo
RANDOM=1 # Same seed for RANDOM...
random_numbers # ...reproduces the exact same number series.
echo; echo
RANDOM=2 # Trying again, but with a different seen...
random_numbers # gives a different number series.
echo; echo
# RANDOM=$$ seeds RANDOM from process id of script.
# It is also possible to seed RANDOM from 'time' or 'date'.
# Getting fancy...
SEED=$(head -1 /dev/urandom | od -N 1 | awk '{ print $2 }')
# Pseudo-random output fetched from /dev/urandom (system pseudo-random "device"),
# then converted to line of printable (octal) numbers by "od",
# finally "awk" retrieves just one number for SEED.
RANDOM=$SEED
random_numbers
echo; echo
exit 0