Hi I'm using QuickBasic 7 and I am looking to do the opposite of what most people want conerning random numbers. I WANT the predetermined list of numbers and I want to have access to them at will. I want to be able to set the seed through the randomize statement with a particular number and get the beginning of that same list associated with that number. The problem is I want to do it a virtually unlimited number of times during a single run of my program. In my experiments with the randomize function I have found that it does not reset the seed to the beginning of the list as it would if the seed number was used in a fresh RUN. That's my quandry. How do I get that fresh RUN quality without actually doing a fresh RUN? As a possible end-round run I am thinking of generating a list of 1000, or 10000 or maybe even 100000 random numbers strung together in a data statement or in a file and then indexing every digit. When I want access to a particular same string of digits I just use the index information and voila I get the same list every time. The two numbers I think I need are the start location in the list and the interval value for number picks. Like one particular seed would start with the 357th number and pick numbers at an interval of 9 so the 2nd number would be the 366th in the list. This should generate the "random" feel huh? Thanks for your time. Mr. Reyth

I have tried the following code in both FreeBASIC and PowerBasic and they both repeat the same random sequence. I don't have QuickBasic 7. again: randomize 32768 for x = 1 to 10 print rnd(1) next x print "cr to repeat esc to quit " another: z$ = inkey$ if z$ = "" then goto another if asc(z$) = 27 then print "end" : end goto again

Thanks. Here is the very straight-forward code that tests some simple data manipulation and the use of the randomize statement. When performing the following sequence it fails: 1) Hit new universe 2) Write down the universe code 3) Continue through to the summary display and write down the number of planets and wormholes. 4) Hit e(X)it and then re-run. 5) Enter existing universe. 6) Here I get a different number of planets and wormholes (a different sequence). 7) When I then exit and re-run hitting existing universe, initially I get the same numbers as the second report. But they then change with each subsequent (r)e-run and (e)xisting universe I do. 8) When I replace line 235 with RUN instead of goto 20 I at least get the same sequence as the second report. The only way I can get a sequence to repeat is to re-RUN the program. I have tested this theory independently with even more simple code with the same results. It seems like a quirk with Q7 and if there is no way around the problem I will use my own manual seeding as described above. If you actually take the time with this, my sincere thanks. Reyth 10 ' *** Galaxy Creator *** 15 RANDOMIZE -32768: DIM pl(25), wh(8) 20 CLS : INPUT "(N)ew universe or (E)xisting universe"; a$ 30 IF a$ = "e" THEN 560 40 IF a$ = "n" THEN 60 50 GOTO 20 60 ' Initializing NEW universe 65 RANDOMIZE TIMER: CLS 70 UI = INT((32767 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) 75 IF INT((2 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) = 2 THEN UI = UI * -1 80 PRINT : PRINT "Universe ID# is: "; UI 90 PRINT : PRINT "Write this down in order to access this universe again." 100 PRINT : PRINT "Hit <c> to continue or <r> to regenerate." 105 a$ = INKEY$: IF a$ = "" THEN 105 110 IF a$ = "c" THEN 130 120 IF a$ = "r" THEN 65 125 GOTO 105 130 ' Concrete galaxy generation formula 140 RANDOMIZE UI 150 ' number of planets 160 pls = INT((25 - 5 + 1) * RND + 1) 170 'number of wormholes 180 who = INT((8 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) 185 GOSUB 290: GOSUB 340 'create unique data 190 CLS : PRINT "Number of planets"; pls 200 PRINT : PRINT "Number of wormholes"; who 210 PRINT : PRINT "(w) (p) (x) (r)" 220 a$ = INKEY$: IF a$ = "" THEN 220 230 IF a$ = "x" THEN END 235 IF a$ = "r" THEN 20 240 IF a$ = "w" THEN 260 245 IF a$ = "p" THEN 430 250 GOTO 220 260 CLS : INPUT "Enter the wormhole number to exit this galaxy"; wn 270 IF wn > who OR wn < 1 THEN 260 280 GOSUB 380 285 GOTO 190 290 'planetary color generator 300 RANDOMIZE UI 310 FOR i = 1 TO pls: pl(i) = INT((3 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1): NEXT i 320 RETURN 330 ' wh seed modifier code generator 340 RANDOMIZE UI 350 FOR i = 1 TO who: wh(i) = INT((32767 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) 360 IF INT((2 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) = 2 THEN wh(i) = wh(i) * -1 370 NEXT i: RETURN 380 ' apply wh code 390 CLS : PRINT "Wormhole seed code is"; wh(wn) 400 PRINT : PRINT "Hit any key to continue" 410 a$ = INKEY$: IF a$ = "" THEN 410 420 RETURN 430 ' Planetary color display 440 CLS : INPUT "Which planet do you wish to visit"; pc 450 IF pc < 5 OR pc > pls THEN 440 460 CLS : IF pl(pc) = 1 THEN 500 470 IF pl(pc) = 2 THEN 510 480 IF pl(pc) = 3 THEN 520 490 PRINT "data error planet color not received": END 500 PRINT "This planet is a rich red color.": GOSUB 530: GOTO 190 510 PRINT "This planet is a deep blue color.": GOSUB 530: GOTO 190 520 PRINT "This planet is a vibrant green color.": GOSUB 530: GOTO 190 530 PRINT : PRINT "Press any key to continue" 540 a$ = INKEY$: IF a$ = "" THEN 540 550 RETURN 560 ' Generate existing universe 570 CLS : INPUT "Enter the Universe ID#"; UI 580 IF UI < -32767 OR UI > 32768 THEN 570 590 GOTO 140

Here is a much simpler example. With the randomize statement at the beginning of the loop the numbers rolled should never change. When I run this program they do. 'RANDOMIZE TIMER DO 'Simulate rolling two dice using RND. RANDOMIZE -32768 D1 = INT(RND * 6) + 1 D2 = INT(RND * 6) + 1 'Report the roll. CLS 'Clear screen. PRINT "You rolled a"; D1; "and a"; D2; "for a total of"; D1 + D2 INPUT "Roll again (Y/N)"; Resp$ PRINT LOOP UNTIL UCASE$(MID$(Resp$, 1, 1)) = "N" END I think this proves the Q7 quirk and if there are no ways to force the quirk to work I will make my own seed. Thanks, Reyth

Have your considered switching BASICS? FreeBASIC is a 32bit compiler version of QBASIC with Windows and Command Prompt Versions (plus Linux). Free and takes old code with minimum conversion. www.freebasic.net

Wow thanks. I will check that out. In case anyone has the same problem and wants a random number generator I will post the code below. I'm not saying it's bug free but under initial testing it works. *** PLEASE NOTE: Due to some last minute editing and technical dificulties this will be the first version. I believe there will be some problems with the zero handler that I will need to work out and I will post the fix once I have done that. It works nonetheless. *** It is based on a file called "seed" that has a list of 100000 single digits from 0-9. That file can be generated with the following program: 5 INPUT "read or write or test"; a$: IF a$ = "t" THEN 60 7 IF a$ = "w" THEN 90 10 OPEN "seed" FOR RANDOM AS 1 20 GET #1, INT((9000 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1), sd 30 PRINT sd 40 INPUT a$: IF a$ = "x" THEN END 50 GOTO 20 60 PRINT INT((9 - 0 + 1) * RND + 0) 70 INPUT a$: IF a$ = "x" THEN END 80 GOTO 60 90 OPEN "seed" FOR RANDOM AS 1 100 FOR I = 1 TO 100000: rd = INT((9 - 0 + 1) * RND + 0) 110 PUT #1, , rd: PRINT rd: NEXT I: GOTO 5 Initially you can run this and first test some random numbers to make sure the file will have digits from 0-9. Then you can write the file. Then you can read the file to make sure the output is correct. This will also allow you to make sure that the I/O commands are properly formatted to your BASIC version (just in case, who knows?). Then, once the file is generated, the following code will pull a random sequence of numbers from the file. There are several variables of importance: 1) "SC": This is the unique seed identifier to insure you get the same sequence of numbers. 2) "SK": This is the record interval the numbers are picked with. This insures a very large number of random sequences. You must use both of these variables to uniquely identify the seed for future access. 3) "MD": This is the upper limit of the number to be generated. 4) "LD": This is the lower limit of the number to be generated. 5) "RD": This is the random digit itself, configured according to the parameters above. So intially 1,2,5 are passed FROM the routine to your main code and 3 & 4 are passed from YOUR code to the routine. To regain a former sequence you will need to then pass SC & SK to the routine as well. So here's the code: 1 RANDOMIZE TIMER 600 ' generate random seed sequence 601 GOSUB 750: CLOSE #1: GOSUB 610 603 PRINT "Random number is"; rd$: PRINT : INPUT "[x] to end"; a$: RANDOMIZE TIMER: CLS : IF a$ = "x" THEN END ELSE CLOSE #1: GOSUB 610: GOTO 603 605 ' sk=skip interval, sc=seed counter, ml$, ml=max length 607 ' md=maximum digit value, sd=sample digit, rl=random digit length 609 ' ld=lowest digit value, ll=least digit length, ds=digit seed, rp=record position 610 rd$ = "": rl = 0: sk = INT((1000 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1): sc = INT((100000 - 1 + 1) * RND + 1) 620 ml$ = STR$(md): ml = (LEN(ml$) - 1): ll$ = STR$(ld): ll = (LEN(ll$) - 1) 625 OPEN "seed" FOR RANDOM AS 1: IF ll = ml THEN rl = ll: GET #1, sc-1: GOTO 685 'skip length routine 627 rp = sc - sk 630 FOR i = 1 TO ml' determine random digit length first 640 rp = rp + sk: GOSUB 990: GET #1, rp, sd 660 IF sd > 4 AND rl = 0 THEN rl = (ml - i) + 1 670 NEXT i: IF rl = 0 THEN rl = 1 680 IF rl < ll THEN 630 'if number is too low then re-generate 682 ' generate random digit 685 e = 0: FOR i = 1 TO rl 690 rp = rp + sk: GOSUB 990: GET #1, rp, sd 702 sd = INT(sd): IF sd < 0 THEN sd = sd * -1 705 IF (rl = 1) AND (sd > md OR sd < ld) THEN 690 707 IF rl = 1 THEN rd = sd:RETURN 708 IF i <> 1 THEN 720' 1st digit was acceptable 710 IF sd > VAL(LEFT$(ml$, 2)) AND rl = ml THEN 690 'digit will be max length 712 IF (z = 1 AND i <> ml) OR (i = 2 AND rl = ml AND VAL(MID$(rd$, 2, 1)) = VAL(MID$(STR$(md), 2, 1)) AND VAL(MID$(STR$(md), 3, 1)) = 0) THEN 910 720 rd$ = rd$ + STR$(sd) 725 NEXT i 730 IF VAL(rd$) < ld OR VAL(rd$) > md THEN rd$ = "": z = 0: GOTO 685 740 rd = VAL(rd$): RETURN ' Throws control back to your main code here 750 CLS : INPUT "Maximum digit amount"; md: INPUT "Smallest digit amount"; ld 760 IF sd > md THEN 750 770 RETURN 910 ' Zero handler 915 IF i >= 3 THEN 950' advanced handler for repeating zeros 920 rp = rp + sk: GOSUB 990: GET #1, rp, ss 930 IF ss <= 4 THEN rd$ = "0":GOTO 720 940 rd$ = rd$ + "0": z = 1: GOTO 725 950 IF VAL(MID$(STR$(md), i + 1,1)) <> 0 THEN z = 0: GOTO 720 955 rp = rp + sk: GOSUB 990: GET #1, rp, ss 960 IF ss <= 4 THEN rd$ = rd$ + "0":GOTO 720 970 td$ = "0": FOR j = 2 TO (LEN(rd$) - 1) 980 td$ = td$ + mid$(rd$, j,1): NEXT j: z = 0: rd$ = td$: GOTO 725 990 IF rp > 100000 THEN rp = rp - 100000 1000 RETURN Sorry for a non-bug free entry; don't ask why and I won't tell ;) Reyth

Ok, the 1st major "whoops" I found with the zero handler is line 970. The for next loop should begin with 3 instead of 2 because the 1st byte in any string will be a "blank". There is probably a slight logical error with the zero handler as evidenced by a very slight "pause" in generating certain numbers. This pause is less than a second in duration. The handler is functioning. If anyone actually decides to use the above code ( which I seriously doubt ;} ) I will be available for full implementation support. I kind of like the idea of generating my own seed although [rant on] I have to admit that the more efficient way to handle the problem is upgrade to the better version listed above and nuke the crap out of this whole dang project (a MAJOR sidetrack in my program development) by properly being able to use the randomize statement [rant off]. Reyth