Five Random But Different Numbers Out of 72

[drnebula]

I want to choose 5 random numbers out of 72 but they must be different. Does anyone have a simple way of doing this? I've started a method but it is becoming rather long winded and complex. I know there must be an easier way. Any help appreciated.
Steve

[Chrille]

The easiest method would probably be using a loop and a list object.

+ Trigger Randomize
- Start Loop "randomize"
- Clear List

+ On Loop "randomize"
- Set Value to Random(72)

+ On Loop "randomize"
+ Compare Two General Values: FindStringExact( "List", Str$(Value), -1) == -1
- Add Line to List: Str$(Value)

+ On Loop "randomize"
+ Compare Two General Values: List Get Number of Lines == 5
- Stop Loop "randomize"

This is probably the easiest method. You could skip the list and use an array or something like that instead, you'd have to use more loops though.

[casleziro]

I expanded on Chrille's example and made it a bit more flexible and efficient (the list object is very slow, regardless of what you use it for, so I substituted it with an active object's string instead) and turned it into more of a function than anything. Now it does this:

-return any amount of numbers within a custom range, and choose whether or not they will be different or allow duplicates

randomizer function.mfa

[casleziro]

Pfft, I got so caught up in actually making the function that I forgot to think about how to actually use those values . I really need to stop embarrassing myself like this.

String tokenizer will do the trick!

Updated (i'll need to update my submission to the tutorial thread as well when it gets approved ) : randomizer function2.mfa

[schrodinger]

Cool ideas guys!
Nice widget Casleziro!
Very useful also as random pool ext. is windows only.

This could require a little modification to avoid duplicates shortening the output
(less results than requested ones)
like this:

randomizer function_1.mfa

(this was already present in Chrille's idea, I guess the loop was fired "infinite" times)

[Chrille]

Hah, yes I forgot mentioning that little detail

[casleziro]

Ah thanks schrodinger, I didn't think of that!

[schrodinger]

Maybe also a "prevent crash" if people fires a request for more numbers than the range they requested (would result in infinite loop)

like:

on loop "random"
+loopindex("random")=0
+max random - min random < number of returned values
>>> stop loop "random"
>>> set "result string" to "error! too small range"

just an idea,
one could think at other ways to crash so this may be pointless..
(or would require to take into account some more cases to be 100% sure)
Just that I'm a little paranoid with firing endless loops I guess


Very cool widget/concept!

[drnebula]

Thanks everyone for some great ideas. I'll learn a lot from going over your code. I've been coding multimedia fusion projects for 10+ years but still feel like a novice. I have an engineering degree but back before they even had calculators let alone computers. One of these days I ought to take some programming courses, but I'm having too much fun playing with Multimedia Fusion.
Steve

[Ziplock]

Didn't get to this thread before it was solved (was at work), but I thought I'd share my technique too:

Here I have two objects, one "Random" which is used to pick the numbers, and the other is "Hero," used to store the values in alt.val A-E.

Start of Frame:
-> Start Loop "Create Random" 72 times
-> Start Loop "Designate Random Values" 5 times

Start of Frame:
-> Start loop for each one of "Random", loop name "Destroy Random Objects"

On loop "Create Random"
-> Create "Random" at (0,0)
-> Set Alterable Value A to LoopIndex("Create Random")+1

On loop "Designate Random Values"
+ Pick one of "Random"
-> Set "Hero's" Alterable Value (LoopIndex("Designate Random Values")) to Alterable Value A of "Random"
-> Destroy "Random"

On each one of "Random", Loop Name "Destroy Random Objects"
-> Destroy "Random"