RE: Random number in VARPG

[Peter.Colpaert@xxxxxxxxxx]

Larry,

this sounds very interesting, and I'll definitely look into this further.

Thanks,

Peter Colpaert
Application Developer
Massive - Kontich, Belgium
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Yoda of Borg are we.  Futile is resistance, assimilated will you be.
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"Larry Ducie" <Larry_Ducie@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
10/03/2005 23:41
Please respond to RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries

 
        To:     <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
        cc: 
        Subject:        RE: Random number in VARPG


Hi Peter,
 
<snip>
As I don't have an iSeries at home, it has to be completely PC-based.
 
The problem I'm encountering is that I need to randomize the array with 
questions, and I have no clue as to how to start this.
</snip>
 
Remember that you have access to the WinAPI (Win32 DLL) so most things you
can do on a PC you can do using VARPG. Or you could download a Java class
that generates a random number and interface to that. You just need to
"think PC" not "AS/400" for native solutions. 
 
With that in mind, simply use the WinAPI rand() function (below is the C
prototype). So I'm sure you could simply prototype rand(), specifying
Win32.DLL, using a 10I 0 return variable:
 
 
*** start of include***
 
<some very interesting stuff>

*** end of include***

The most difficult thing about using VARPG to interface with "native" DLLs
is the nesting of the header files. That is, you find an example that
<includes> some prototypes in a header file, but when you find the header
file it simply <includes> more header files, and so on until you find that
the value you should be passing to the procedure is another int. And, yes,
it's 10I 0 on the PC too. :-)

Have a look at http://www.cplusplus.com/ref/cstdlib/rand.html

Good luck.

Larry Ducie

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