setRandomSeed -- set starting point for random number generator

Synopsis

Usage:

setRandomSeed()

setRandomSeed(seed)
Consequences:
- If seed is (), initializes the random number generator to a fixed state, identical to the initial state (upon program start) in version 1.2 and earlier of Macaulay2. Otherwise sets randomSeed to a value based on seed.

Description

Since version 1.2, when Macaulay2 starts the random number seed is initially set to a number that depends on the current date, the time (in seconds), and the process id, except for when running examples and tests in packages, where it is always initialized to 0 by passing the command line option --no-randomize.

The sequence of future pseudo-random results is determined by the random number seed.

i1 : setRandomSeed()

i2 : random 2^100

o2 = 278091837517481385900793178228

i3 : random 2^100

o3 = 1096904973926824930696315518408

i4 : setRandomSeed()

i5 : random 2^100

o5 = 278091837517481385900793178228

i6 : random 2^100

o6 = 1096904973926824930696315518408

If an integer seed is given, the random number seed is set to the low-order 32 bits of the seed.

i7 : setRandomSeed 123456

o7 = 123456

i8 : for i to 10 list random 100

o8 = {8, 29, 5, 22, 4, 32, 35, 57, 3, 95, 36}

o8 : List

i9 : setRandomSeed 123456

o9 = 123456

i10 : for i to 10 list random 100

o10 = {8, 29, 5, 22, 4, 32, 35, 57, 3, 95, 36}

o10 : List

If a string seed is given, sets the random number seed to an integer computed from it. Every character of the string contributes to the seed, but only 32 bits of data are used. The sequence of future pseudo-random results is determined by the seed.

i11 : setRandomSeed "thrkwjsxz"

o11 = 1267386136561992923

i12 : for i to 10 list random 100

o12 = {28, 70, 67, 31, 68, 14, 42, 24, 16, 14, 51}

o12 : List

i13 : setRandomSeed "thrkwjsxz"

o13 = 1267386136561992923

i14 : for i to 10 list random 100

o14 = {28, 70, 67, 31, 68, 14, 42, 24, 16, 14, 51}

o14 : List

Code

../../../../../Macaulay2/m2/system.m2:145:20-145:45: --source code:
setRandomSeed ZZ := seed -> randomSeed = seed               -- magic assignment, calls rawSetRandomSeed internally
../../../../../Macaulay2/m2/system.m2:146:24-146:85: --source code:
setRandomSeed String := seed -> setRandomSeed fold((i,j) -> 101*i + j, 0, ascii seed)
../../../../../Macaulay2/m2/system.m2:147:26-147:104: --source code:
setRandomSeed Sequence := seed -> if seed === () then rawRandomInitialize() else setRandomSeed hash seed

Ways to use setRandomSeed:

setRandomSeed(Sequence)
setRandomSeed(String)
setRandomSeed(ZZ)

For the programmer

The object setRandomSeed is a method function with a single argument.