|
HTML rendering created 2025-09-06 by Michael Kerrisk, author of The Linux Programming Interface. For details of in-depth Linux/UNIX system programming training courses that I teach, look here. Hosting by jambit GmbH. |
|
|
PROLOG | NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | RETURN VALUE | ERRORS | EXAMPLES | APPLICATION USAGE | RATIONALE | FUTURE DIRECTIONS | SEE ALSO | COPYRIGHT |
|
|
|
DRAND48(3P) POSIX Programmer's Manual DRAND48(3P)
This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual. The
Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the
corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or
the interface may not be implemented on Linux.
drand48, erand48, jrand48, lcong48, lrand48, mrand48, nrand48,
seed48, srand48 — generate uniformly distributed pseudo-random
numbers
#include <stdlib.h>
double drand48(void);
double erand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
long jrand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
void lcong48(unsigned short param[7]);
long lrand48(void);
long mrand48(void);
long nrand48(unsigned short xsubi[3]);
unsigned short *seed48(unsigned short seed16v[3]);
void srand48(long seedval);
This family of functions shall generate pseudo-random numbers
using a linear congruential algorithm and 48-bit integer
arithmetic.
The drand48() and erand48() functions shall return non-negative,
double-precision, floating-point values, uniformly distributed
over the interval [0.0,1.0).
The lrand48() and nrand48() functions shall return non-negative,
long integers, uniformly distributed over the interval [0,231).
The mrand48() and jrand48() functions shall return signed long
integers uniformly distributed over the interval [-231,231).
The srand48(), seed48(), and lcong48() functions are
initialization entry points, one of which should be invoked before
either drand48(), lrand48(), or mrand48() is called. (Although it
is not recommended practice, constant default initializer values
shall be supplied automatically if drand48(), lrand48(), or
mrand48() is called without a prior call to an initialization
entry point.) The erand48(), nrand48(), and jrand48() functions do
not require an initialization entry point to be called first.
All the routines work by generating a sequence of 48-bit integer
values, X_i , according to the linear congruential formula:
Xn+1 = (aX_n +c)mod m n≥ 0
The parameter m=2^48; hence 48-bit integer arithmetic is
performed. Unless lcong48() is invoked, the multiplier value a and
the addend value c are given by:
a = 5DEECE66D16 = 2736731631558
c = B16 = 138
The value returned by any of the drand48(), erand48(), jrand48(),
lrand48(), mrand48(), or nrand48() functions is computed by first
generating the next 48-bit X_i in the sequence. Then the
appropriate number of bits, according to the type of data item to
be returned, are copied from the high-order (leftmost) bits of X_i
and transformed into the returned value.
The drand48(), lrand48(), and mrand48() functions store the last
48-bit X_i generated in an internal buffer; that is why the
application shall ensure that these are initialized prior to being
invoked. The erand48(), nrand48(), and jrand48() functions require
the calling program to provide storage for the successive X_i
values in the array specified as an argument when the functions
are invoked. That is why these routines do not have to be
initialized; the calling program merely has to place the desired
initial value of X_i into the array and pass it as an argument.
By using different arguments, erand48(), nrand48(), and jrand48()
allow separate modules of a large program to generate several
independent streams of pseudo-random numbers; that is, the
sequence of numbers in each stream shall not depend upon how many
times the routines are called to generate numbers for the other
streams.
The initializer function srand48() sets the high-order 32 bits of
X_i to the low-order 32 bits contained in its argument. The low-
order 16 bits of X_i are set to the arbitrary value 330E_16 .
The initializer function seed48() sets the value of X_i to the
48-bit value specified in the argument array. The low-order 16
bits of X_i are set to the low-order 16 bits of seed16v[0]. The
mid-order 16 bits of X_i are set to the low-order 16 bits of
seed16v[1]. The high-order 16 bits of X_i are set to the low-
order 16 bits of seed16v[2]. In addition, the previous value of
X_i is copied into a 48-bit internal buffer, used only by
seed48(), and a pointer to this buffer is the value returned by
seed48(). This returned pointer, which can just be ignored if not
needed, is useful if a program is to be restarted from a given
point at some future time—use the pointer to get at and store the
last X_i value, and then use this value to reinitialize via
seed48() when the program is restarted.
The initializer function lcong48() allows the user to specify the
initial X_i , the multiplier value a, and the addend value c.
Argument array elements param[0-2] specify X_i , param[3-5]
specify the multiplier a, and param[6] specifies the 16-bit addend
c. After lcong48() is called, a subsequent call to either
srand48() or seed48() shall restore the standard multiplier and
addend values, a and c, specified above.
The drand48(), lrand48(), and mrand48() functions need not be
thread-safe.
As described in the DESCRIPTION above.
No errors are defined.
The following sections are informative.
None.
These functions should be avoided whenever non-trivial
requirements (including safety) have to be fulfilled.
None.
None.
initstate(3p), rand(3p)
The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1‐2017, stdlib.h(0p)
Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic
form from IEEE Std 1003.1-2017, Standard for Information
Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The
Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, 2018 Edition, Copyright
(C) 2018 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
Inc and The Open Group. In the event of any discrepancy between
this version and the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard,
the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard is the referee
document. The original Standard can be obtained online at
http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .
Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page
are most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of
the source files to man page format. To report such errors, see
https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .
IEEE/The Open Group 2017 DRAND48(3P)
Pages that refer to this page: stdlib.h(0p), erand48(3p), initstate(3p), jrand48(3p), lcong48(3p), lrand48(3p), mrand48(3p), nrand48(3p), rand(3p), seed48(3p), srand48(3p)
|
HTML rendering created 2025-09-06 by Michael Kerrisk, author of The Linux Programming Interface. For details of in-depth Linux/UNIX system programming training courses that I teach, look here. Hosting by jambit GmbH. |
|