Briefest method of generating a list of random numbers?

Ruby
1

Hi all,

I wondered if there was a more compact method of generating things like
a random string, or a random list of numbers than I’m using now (using
ruby 1.9.0-1)

array = [] ; 100.times {array << rand}
string = “” ; 100.times {string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

The temptation is to use

array = [rand] * 100
string = (rand(26) + 97).chr * 100

but that only draws one random number a 100 times.

Is there a bit of syntax that I missed?

2

On May 26, 2008, at 10:45, Boris S. wrote:

Hi all,

I wondered if there was a more compact method of generating things
like
a random string, or a random list of numbers than I’m using now (using
ruby 1.9.0-1)

Array(100) { rand }

The block is evaluated for each element.

3

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

Datum: Mon, 26 May 2008 17:45:57 +0900
Von: Boris S. [email protected]
An: [email protected]
Betreff: briefest method of generating a list of random numbers?

array = [rand] * 100
string = (rand(26) + 97).chr * 100

but that only draws one random number a 100 times.

Is there a bit of syntax that I missed?

Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Hello Boris,

string = (rand(26) + 97).chr * 100

but that only draws one random number a 100 times.

That’s not correct - it draws a random number once, turns it into
a letter and then repeats it 100 times -

you could also write, e.g.,

string=‘x’*100 .

But what’s wrong with the first - it looks fairly compact to me:

string = “” ; 100.times { string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

You could add a srand(); in the bracket to call different
strings every time, but that’s less compact :slight_smile:

Best regards,

Axel

4

But what’s wrong with the first - it looks fairly compact to me:

string = “” ; 100.times { string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

For strings I’ll have to use the one above, but arrays now read a bit
more natural (to my eyes). The size doesn’t matter that much, but it is
simpler to understand.

population = Array.new(POP_SIZE) {
function_that_generates_a_random_individual }

vs the old

population = [] ; POP_SIZE.times {population <<
function_that_generates_a_random_individual }

Thanks both of you!

5

Boris S. wrote:

string = “” ; 100.times { string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

For strings I’ll have to use the one above,

Duh. I can just use the Array.new, and append a .join at the end to get
the random string. And Axel, I’m generating quite a lot of arrays in my
small prog, and using this shorter way makes it indeed clearer :). It is
definitly worth it.

Example:

filter = Array.new(WINDOW) { bucket = Array.new(AMINO) {|i| (97 +
i).chr} }

was

filter = []
WINDOW.times {bucket = [] ; AMINO.times {|i| bucket << (97 + i).chr}
; filter << bucket}

6

2008/5/26 Boris S. [email protected]:

But what’s wrong with the first - it looks fairly compact to me:

string = “” ; 100.times { string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

For strings I’ll have to use the one above,

Note that String#<< understands ints as being character codes - so you
do not need the .chr:

irb(main):005:0> str = 100.to_enum(:times).inject(“”) {|s,| s << (?a +
rand(26))}
=>
“uepizlkepyoxxfkefosxxptvcpdiuwyexecngmftnidlyfnhqgmtndbzthhykdjjiyayzwvhatovzbxzqkhclnxwbqbsoxpszwkn”
irb(main):006:0>

I believe in 1.9 you can as well do

str = 100.times.inject(“”) {|s,| s << (?a + rand(26))}

Kind regards

robert

7

On Mon, May 26, 2008 at 11:34 AM, Boris S. [email protected]
wrote:

But what’s wrong with the first - it looks fairly compact to me:

string = “” ; 100.times { string << (rand(26) + 97).chr}

For strings I’ll have to use the one above, but arrays now read a bit
more natural (to my eyes). The size doesn’t matter that much, but it is
simpler to understand.

You could also do

Array.new(100) { 97 + rand(26) }.pack(“c*”)

Peter

8

On May 26, 11:16 am, Mikael Høilund [email protected] wrote:

On May 26, 2008, at 10:45, Boris S. wrote:

Hi all,

I wondered if there was a more compact method of generating things
like
a random string, or a random list of numbers than I’m using now (using
ruby 1.9.0-1)

Array(100) { rand }

Don’t you mean

Array.new(100) { rand }

Array(arg) creates an array equal to ‘arg’ (if it responds to .to_ary)
or an array containing precisly ‘arg’ otherwise. It never yields.

There is also

(1…100).map { rand }

And for strings

(1…100).map { (rand(26)+97).chr }.join

Lars

9

Boris S. wrote:

Hi all,

I wondered if there was a more compact method of generating things like
a random string, or a random list of numbers than I’m using now (using
ruby 1.9.0-1)

(“a”…“z”).sort_by {rand}.join

10

You could also do

Array.new(100) { 97 + rand(26) }.pack(“c*”)

Peter

Pack seems to be faster than the combination of .chr and join, which is
a nice side-effect, as I’m running simulations in ruby, and they takes
aeons of time (well, nearly a week). Don’t ask me why I’m using ruby, it
just sort of happened ;), and the code is only 160 lines, which compares
favorably to the C ancestor of this simulation (which did more or less
the same in 4000 lines)

irb(main):017:0> time = Time.new ; 1000.times {string = Array.new(1000)
{ rand(26) + 97 }.pack(“c*”)} ; puts Time.new - time
0.184389
=> nil
irb(main):018:0> time = Time.new ; 1000.times {string = Array.new(1000)
{ (rand(26) + 97).chr }.join} ; puts Time.new - time
0.330891
=> nil

11

On Mon, May 26, 2008 at 12:39 PM, S2 [email protected] wrote:

Boris S. wrote:

Hi all,

I wondered if there was a more compact method of generating things like
a random string, or a random list of numbers than I’m using now (using
ruby 1.9.0-1)

(“a”…“z”).sort_by {rand}.join
this is not really the same, maybe
((“a”…“z”).to_a * N).sort_by { rand }[0…x].join
does what OP wants (if N is large enough) and although this approach
has a certain elegance it would be very,very inefficent.

Cheers
R.

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