RE: How to retrieve a random number in COBOL/CL/API call -- COBOL400-L

Thanks, Lynnette! I appreciate your response and will give these a try.

Tom.


-----Original Message-----
From: Lynnette Procopio [mailto:LPROCOPI@email.kcmsd.k12.mo.us]
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 9:13 AM
To: COBOL400-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: How to retrieve a random number in COBOL/CL/API call


Here are some resources to try:

I dug through the NEWS/400 archives and found an RPG III and RPG/400 routine
published in September 1989 that generates random numbers. The RANDOM
routine can be downloaded from
http://www.as400network.com/noderesources/code/clubtechcode/random.rpg . 
A companion routine, RAN_DEMO, is available at 
http://www.as400network.com/noderesources/code/clubtechcode/ran_demo.rpg .
RAN_DEMO shows how to call routine RANDOM and generate (1) a random list of
whole numbers from 1 to an upper limit, (2) a random list of whole numbers
from a lower limit to an upper limit, and (3) a random identifier that can
be used as an AS/400 password
___________________________________________________________
RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR IN RPG IV
The RPG IV program below supports the math bindable API CEERAN0 (Basic
Random Number Generation). The input parameter C0Seed has a valid range of 0
to 2,147,483,646; when the value is 0, the API generates a seed from the
system's current Greenwich mean time. On return, CEERAN0 changes the value
so it can be used as the new seed in a subsequent call.

Output parameter C0RndNbr is a 64-bit double floating-point number with a
value between 0 and 1. If an invalid seed is used, -1 is returned.

The program logic is based on the minimum and maximum values for the random
number generation. These values are initialized in the D-specs. The program
uses the %DecH built-in function to convert the floating-point random number
into a packed decimal with a length of 30 digits and 29 decimal positions.
It then multiplies this value by the maximum value: Because 1 is the highest
possible random number, the result will never be greater than the maximum
value. The program's Do loop ensures that the random number generation is
repeated until the result is higher than or equal to the minimum value.

D C0Seed          S              5I 0 Inz(0)
D C0RndNbr        S              8F
 **-- Random Number Conversion:  ---------------------------------- **
D RndNbr          S             10I 0
D MaxNbr          S             10I 0 Inz(9000000)
D MinNbr          S             10I 0 Inz(1000000)
 **
  
**==================================================================**
 **
C                   DoU       RndNbr >= MinNbr
 **
C                   CallB     'CEERAN0'
C                   Parm                    C0Seed
C                   Parm                    C0RndNbr
C                   Parm                    *OMIT
**
C                   Eval      RndNbr = %DecH(C0RndNbr:30:29) * MaxNbr
C                   EndDo
 **
C                   Return

___________________________________________________________
RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR IN ILE CL (OPM callable)
------------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* Generates a random number between 0 and 1.                       */
/* This is a bound ILE CLP program and requires these compile steps */
/* 1. CRTCLMOD                                                      */
/* 2. CRTPGM RANDOM MODULE(RANDOM) SRVPGM(QLEMF)                    */
/*                                                                  */
/* The first parameter is returned as a FLOAT8 (aka FLOAT BIN(53))  */
/* The second is a seed value. After, the SEED value is modified by */
/* this program.                                                    */
/*------------------------------------------------------------------*/
RANDOM: PGM (&RTNVAL &SEED)
DCL &RTNVAL *CHAR (8)
DCL &SEED *CHAR (4)

CALLPRC PRC(CEERAN0) PARM(&SEED &RTNVAL)
ENDPGM

___________________________________________________________
RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR IN COBOL/400
Download the program at 
http://www.etk.com/download/etkpak/etkpak.htm#MATHPK .



Lynnette Procopio
Information Technology
Kansas City Missouri School District
Phone: (816) 418-7132
Fax:      (816) 418-7104
e-mail:   lprocopi@email.kcmsd.k12.mo.us
Web:    www.kcmsd.k12.mo.us


>>> Tom.Masters@EmersonTransportation.com 05/23/01 08:36AM >>>
Is there a function somewhere in OS/400 to call which will return a random
number?

Thanks,

Tom Masters
Mgr. Information Systems
Emerson Transportation Division
(314) 506-2380 (Voice)
(314) 506-2620 (Fax)
Tom.Masters@emersontransportation.com 

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