RAND( ) Function
Returns a random number between 0 and 1.
RAND([nSeedValue])
Return Values
Numeric
Parameters
nSeedValue
Specifies the seed value that determines the sequence of values RAND( ) returns.RAND( ) returns the same sequence of random numbers if you use the same seed value for nSeedValue the first time you issue RAND( ) followed by subsequent RAND( ) function calls without nSeedValue.
If nSeedValue is negative the first time you issued RAND( ), a seed value from the system clock is used. To achieve the most random sequence of numbers, issue RAND( ) initially with a negative argument and then issue RAND( ) without an argument.
If you omit nSeedValue, RAND( ) uses a default seed value of 100,001.
Example
The first example below uses RAND( ) to create a table with 10 records containing random values, then uses MIN( ) and MAX( ) to display the maximum and minimum values in the table.
The second example below displays a random number that falls between two values, 1 and 10.
CLOSE DATABASES
CREATE TABLE Random (cValue N(3))
FOR nItem = 1 TO 10 && Append 10 records,
APPEND BLANK
REPLACE cValue WITH 1 + 100 * RAND( ) && Insert random values
ENDFOR
CLEAR
LIST && Display the values
gnMaximum = 1 && Initialize minimum value
gnMinimum = 100 && Initialize maximum value
SCAN
gnMinimum = MIN(gnMinimum, cValue)
gnMaximum = MAX(gnMaximum, cValue)
ENDSCAN
? 'The minimum value is: ', gnMinimum && Display minimum value
? 'The maximum value is: ', gnMaximum && Display maximum value
CLEAR
gnLower = 1
gnUpper = 10
? INT((gnUpper - gnLower + 1) * RAND( ) + gnLower)