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Re: [open-cobol-list] How to use RANDOM function.
From: |
Vince Coen |
Subject: |
Re: [open-cobol-list] How to use RANDOM function. |
Date: |
Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:29:27 +0000 |
User-agent: |
KMail/1.13.3 (Linux/2.6.33.7-server-2mnb; KDE/4.4.3; i686; ; ) |
On Wednesday 10 Nov 2010, John Culleton wrote:
> I want to have a certain number randomly chosen every time a certain
> program runs.
>
> I have this in WORKING-STORAGE:
> 77 RANDUM PICTURE S9V9(10).
> I have this statement:
> COMPUTE RANDUM = FUNCTION RANDOM(0).
> Every time I run the program the value of RANDUM is the same. If I
> change the seed then I get a different number but that is repetitious
> also. If I leave off the seed it acts as if the seed was zero.
I think you are misusing this function in regard to OC, form is:
Function returns a numeric value that is a pseudo-random number from a
rectangular distribution. The type of this function is numeric.
function random (argument-1)
the returned value is grater than or equal to zero and less than 1. The domain
of arg-1 values will yield distinct sequences of pseudo random numbers.
[So far so good].
This subset includes the values from 0 through at least 32767.
[Taken from MF manual but the OC docs does not specify this]
1. Try just doing move function random (0) to randum and see what you get.
2. Suggest you also try using a pic of 9(5) (without the implied decimal
placing and see what you get.
I'm saying this just in case OC does NOT stick to values 0 to 1.
Vince