Random Sampling supplying own seed.

[nancier]

Hi, I am doing a basic random sample, querying for 100 random items from a 20,000 item table. I've tried numerous examples using Rnd and Randomize that work fine. In these examples though, the seed numbers are chosen by the system clock. Nowhere have I found a way to supply my own seed number, ie. 7777777 so that someone on another computer using the same table would be able to supply the same seed number and come up with the same results. Does anyone know if this is possible and what code would be used.

Thanks

 

[Golom]

The full specification for Randomize is

Randomize [number]

If you don't supply "Number" then the system clock is used as the seed. If you do supply it as in

Randomize 7777777

then the same random number sequence will be generated each time it runs.

 

[Golom]

Didn't get that quite right. From Help

Note To repeat sequences of random numbers, call Rnd with a negative argument immediately before using Randomize with a numeric argument. Using Randomize with the same value for number does not repeat the previous sequence.

 

[nancier]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Does that say to you that someone on a different computer would not be able to use the same seed 777777 and get the same results?

Thanks

 

[jrbarnett]

Nancier

You are correct: it will not return the same results on different computers, or the same computer if run multiple times.

Best advice I can give you is to write your own "random number" generation function, which does arbtirary calculations to an input number, and returns a result.
You have to be careful though that what you calculate on won't give output weighted in any particular direction.

John

 

[nancier]

Ok, appreciate the answer. I don't have the knowledge to create my own "random number" generation function". If you or anyone else is aware of any function that's already been written where a seed can be inputted, please let me know.

Thanks very much