Pulling Random Records from a file

[JMBauman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Wanted to get some feedback about possible options to pull random records
from a file.   I am dealing with an invoice file for a date (one day) for
multiple locations.  I need to pull thirty random bills from this file for
a date and the number of bills I pull for a location must be proportionate
to that location's number of bills compared to number of bill's for all
locations.  With that being said, my quandary is how to pull these bills
randomly.  My first attempt at this, I read through the file and selected a
record every "random" number of seconds.  This was not random enough as I
was always grabbing my bills from the first hundred records for every
location (about 500 records per location).  Any thoughts would be greatly
appreciated.

John M. Bauman
Project Manager - Lead Programmer/Analyst
Ward Trucking
Second Avenue & Seventh Street, Greenwood
Altoona, PA 16603

Direct Voice (814) 947-1284
Fax (814) 944-5470
www.wardtrucking.com