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RAND(3) Linux Programmer’s Manual RAND(3)
NAME
rand, rand_r, srand - pseudo-random number generator
SYNOPSIS
#include <stdlib.h>
int rand(void);
int rand_r(unsigned int *seedp);
void srand(unsigned int seed);
DESCRIPTION
The rand() function returns a pseudo-random integer between 0 and RAND_MAX.
The srand() function sets its argument as the seed for a new sequence of pseudo-
random integers to be returned by rand(). These sequences are repeatable by call-
ing srand() with the same seed value.
If no seed value is provided, the rand() function is automatically seeded with a
value of 1.
The function rand() is not reentrant or thread-safe, since it uses hidden state
that is modified on each call. This might just be the seed value to be used by the
next call, or it might be something more elaborate. In order to get reproducible
behaviour in a threaded application, this state must be made explicit. The function
rand_r() is supplied with a pointer to an unsigned int, to be used as state. This
is a very small amount of state, so this function will be a weak pseudo-random gen-
erator. Try drand48_r(3) instead.
RETURN VALUE
The rand() and rand_r() functions return a value between 0 and RAND_MAX. The
srand() function returns no value.
EXAMPLE
POSIX 1003.1-2003 gives the following example of an implementation of rand() and
srand(), possibly useful when one needs the same sequence on two different
machines.
static unsigned long next = 1;
/* RAND_MAX assumed to be 32767 */
int myrand(void) {
next = next * 1103515245 + 12345;
return((unsigned)(next/65536) % 32768);
}
void mysrand(unsigned seed) {
next = seed;
}
NOTES
The versions of rand() and srand() in the Linux C Library use the same random num-
ber generator as random() and srandom(), so the lower-order bits should be as ran-
dom as the higher-order bits. However, on older rand() implementations, and on
current implementations on different systems, the lower-order bits are much less
random than the higher-order bits. Do not use this function in applications
intended to be portable when good randomness is needed.
FreeBSD adds a function
void sranddev(void);
that initializes the seed for their bad random generator rand() with a value
obtained from their good random generator random(). Strange.
In Numerical Recipes in C: The Art of Scientific Computing (William H. Press, Brian
P. Flannery, Saul A. Teukolsky, William T. Vetterling; New York: Cambridge Univer-
sity Press, 1992 (2nd ed., p. 277)), the following comments are made:
"If you want to generate a random integer between 1 and 10, you should
always do it by using high-order bits, as in
j=1+(int) (10.0*rand()/(RAND_MAX+1.0));
and never by anything resembling
j=1+(rand() % 10);
(which uses lower-order bits)."
Random-number generation is a complex topic. The Numerical Recipes in C book (see
reference above) provides an excellent discussion of practical random-number gener-
ation issues in Chapter 7 (Random Numbers).
For a more theoretical discussion which also covers many practical issues in depth,
please see Chapter 3 (Random Numbers) in Donald E. Knuth’s The Art of Computer Pro-
gramming, volume 2 (Seminumerical Algorithms), 2nd ed.; Reading, Massachusetts:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1981.
CONFORMING TO
The functions rand() and srand() conform to SVID 3, BSD 4.3, ISO 9899, POSIX
1003.1-2003. The function rand_r() is from POSIX 1003.1-2003.
SEE ALSO
drand48(3), random(3)
2003-11-15 RAND(3)
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