9.6. $RANDOM: generate random integer

#!/bin/bash

# $RANDOM returns a different random integer at each invocation.
# Nominal range: 0 - 32767 (signed 16-bit integer).

MAXCOUNT=10
count=1

echo
echo "$MAXCOUNT random numbers:"
echo "-----------------"
while [ "$count" -le $MAXCOUNT ]      # Generate 10 ($MAXCOUNT) random integers.
do
  number=$RANDOM
  echo $number
  let "count += 1"  # Increment count.
done
echo "-----------------"

# If you need a random int within a certain range, use the 'modulo' operator.
# This returns the remainder of a division operation.

RANGE=500

echo

number=$RANDOM
let "number %= $RANGE"
echo "Random number less than $RANGE  ---  $number"

echo

# If you need a random int greater than a lower bound,
# then set up a test to discard all numbers below that.

FLOOR=200

number=0   #initialize
while [ "$number" -le $FLOOR ]
do
  number=$RANDOM
done
echo "Random number greater than $FLOOR ---  $number"
echo


# May combine above two techniques to retrieve random number between two limits.
number=0   #initialize
while [ "$number" -le $FLOOR ]
do
  number=$RANDOM
  let "number %= $RANGE"  # Scales $number down within $RANGE.
done
echo "Random number between $FLOOR and $RANGE ---  $number"
echo


# Generate binary choice, that is, "true" or "false" value.
BINARY=2
number=$RANDOM
T=1

let "number %= $BINARY"
# let "number >>= 14"    gives a better random distribution
# (right shifts out everything except last binary digit).
if [ "$number" -eq $T ]
then
  echo "TRUE"
else
  echo "FALSE"
fi  

echo


# May generate toss of the dice.
SPOTS=7   # Modulo 7 gives range 0 - 6.
DICE=2
ZERO=0
die1=0
die2=0

# Tosses each die separately, and so gives correct odds.

  while [ "$die1" -eq $ZERO ]     # Can't have a zero come up.
  do
    let "die1 = $RANDOM % $SPOTS" # Roll first one.
  done  

  while [ "$die2" -eq $ZERO ]
  do
    let "die2 = $RANDOM % $SPOTS" # Roll second one.
  done  

let "throw = $die1 + $die2"
echo "Throw of the dice = $throw"
echo


exit 0

#!/bin/bash
# How random is RANDOM?

RANDOM=$$       # Reseed the random number generator using script process ID.

PIPS=6          # A die has 6 pips.
MAXTHROWS=600   # Increase this, if you have nothing better to do with your time.
throw=0         # Throw count.

zeroes=0        # Must initialize counts to zero.
ones=0          # since an uninitialized variable is null, not zero.
twos=0
threes=0
fours=0
fives=0
sixes=0

print_result ()
{
echo
echo "ones =   $ones"
echo "twos =   $twos"
echo "threes = $threes"
echo "fours =  $fours"
echo "fives =  $fives"
echo "sixes =  $sixes"
echo
}

update_count()
{
case "$1" in
  0) let "ones += 1";;   # Since die has no "zero", this corresponds to 1.
  1) let "twos += 1";;   # And this to 2, etc.
  2) let "threes += 1";;
  3) let "fours += 1";;
  4) let "fives += 1";;
  5) let "sixes += 1";;
esac
}

echo


while [ "$throw" -lt "$MAXTHROWS" ]
do
  let "die1 = RANDOM % $PIPS"
  update_count $die1
  let "throw += 1"
done  

print_result

# The scores should distribute fairly evenly, assuming RANDOM is fairly random.
# With $MAXTHROWS at 600, all should cluster around 100, plus-or-minus 20 or so.
#
# Keep in mind that RANDOM is a pseudorandom generator,
# and not a spectacularly good one at that.

# Exercise for the reader (easy):
# Rewrite this script to flip a coin 1000 times.
# Choices are "HEADS" or "TAILS".

exit 0

#!/bin/bash
# seeding-random.sh: Seeding the RANDOM variable.

MAXCOUNT=25       # How many numbers to generate.

random_numbers ()
{
count=0
while [ "$count" -lt "$MAXCOUNT" ]
do
  number=$RANDOM
  echo -n "$number "
  let "count += 1"
done  
}

echo; echo

RANDOM=1          # Setting RANDOM seeds the random number generator.
random_numbers

echo; echo

RANDOM=1          # Same seed for RANDOM...
random_numbers    # ...reproduces the exact same number series.

echo; echo

RANDOM=2          # Trying again, but with a different seen...
random_numbers    # gives a different number series.

echo; echo

# RANDOM=$$  seeds RANDOM from process id of script.
# It is also possible to seed RANDOM from 'time' or 'date'.

# Getting fancy...
SEED=$(head -1 /dev/urandom | od -N 1 | awk '{ print $2 }')
# Pseudo-random output fetched from /dev/urandom (system pseudo-random "device"),
# then converted to line of printable (octal) numbers by "od",
# finally "awk" retrieves just one number for SEED.
RANDOM=$SEED
random_numbers

echo; echo

exit 0