Function make-random-state

Syntax:

Arguments and Values:

This isn't quite susceptible to being called a designator, I think. The uses are too idiosyncratic to the fact that this is a creation operator. If another function took the same arguments, it would use them differently, so the ideas don't generalize well. -kmp 12-Sep-91state—a random state, or nil, or t. The default is nil.

new-state—a random state object.

Description:

12.9.0 12Creates a fresh object of type random-state suitable for use as the value of *random-state*.

If state is a random state object, the new-state is a copy₅ of that object. If state is nil, the new-state is a copy₅ of the current random state. If state is t, the new-state is a fresh random state object that has been randomly initialized by some means.

Examples:

 (let* ((rs1 (make-random-state nil))
        (rs2 (make-random-state t))
        (rs3 (make-random-state rs2))
        (rs4 nil))
   (list (loop for i from 1 to 10 
               collect (random 100)
               when (= i 5)
                do (setq rs4 (make-random-state)))
         (loop for i from 1 to 10 collect (random 100 rs1))
         (loop for i from 1 to 10 collect (random 100 rs2))
         (loop for i from 1 to 10 collect (random 100 rs3))
         (loop for i from 1 to 10 collect (random 100 rs4))))
→ ((29 25 72 57 55 68 24 35 54 65)
    (29 25 72 57 55 68 24 35 54 65)
    (93 85 53 99 58 62 2 23 23 59)
    (93 85 53 99 58 62 2 23 23 59)
    (68 24 35 54 65 54 55 50 59 49))

Side Effects:

None.

Affected By:

None.

Exceptional Situations:

Should signal an error of type type-error if state is not a random state, or nil, or t.

See Also:

random, *random-state*

Notes:

12.9.0 19One important use of make-random-state is to allow the same series of pseudo-random numbers to be generated many times within a single program.