#

Function MAKE-RANDOM-STATE

Syntax:

make-random-state `&optional` state => new-state

Arguments and Values:

state---a random state, or nil, or t. The default is nil.

new-state---a random state object.

Description:

Creates 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 copy[5] of that object. If state is nil, the new-state is a copy[5] 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:

One 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.

Copyright 1996-2005, LispWorks Ltd. All rights reserved.