>>Correct! But you can generate random numbers to pick records from the table. As soon as a record is picked, you flag it or delete it... :)
>>
>>Don't take me seriously here! I'm only joking! You don't need to use the long way if you know the short one. :)
>>
>>Vlad
>>
>>>A quick test of SYS(2015) gave me:
>>>
>>>_RQ91824UH
>>>_RQ91824UI
>>>_RQ91824UJ
>>>_RQ91824UK
>>>_RQ91824UL
>>>_RQ91824UM
>>>_RQ91824UN
>>>_RQ91824UO
>>>
>>>This appears to be unique but sequential, so if I then sort on this number, the result is not randomized. In fact the order may not change at all...
>>>
>>>thx
>>>
>>>>>No... not at all...
>>>>>
>>>>>RAND() works fine, even with the additional test for uniqueness. I was just wondering if there was an internal function to achieve the same thing.
>>>>
>>>>Well, you can use the sys(2015) to get unique keys. Of course, you can convert chars to digits. This will give you unique numbers, but not random numbers. I wouldn't use this!
>>>>
>>>>Vlad
>>>>
>>>>>>As I said: if it's random, then it's not unique. So, it doesn't matter what method you use to get random numbers, you must test them to be sure you choose each number only once.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Why? Why is RAND() not good? Too slow?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Vlad
>>>>>>
>hi,
>
>>>>>>>Is there another way to shuffle a list of phone numbers so that they are random?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>thx
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>If it's unique, it's not random! And if it's random than it's not necessary unique! :)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Vlad
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Yeah, I was just hoping for something like RAND(,U) <-- a unique parameter.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I'm told that C++'s RAND() function returns unique numbers...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Oh well, I did the SEEK to verify uniqueness and it works fine.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>This is normal. Random numbers are not unique.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Each time you generate a new number you must do a SEEK and add it only if it is not already in your table.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Vlad
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I fill a file having 12000 records with 'random' numbers. Index on number unique
>>>>>>>>>>>shows only 7550 unique numbers
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>What's the problem? Ie: What doesn't work?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Vlad
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>We are using RAND() to create a random sampling of a phone number file so
>>>>>>>>>>>>>we need unique numbers so we don't re-use phone numbers
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Any way?
>
>hi,
>the way is to make unique or primary index in the table,
>generate random number and replace it into table. If you move from this
>record, unique type of index causes error event, so you shouldn't seek for
>this random (but potentially non-unique) number. This way is better, especially
>if you want to share table with another users (or using buffering)!.
>
>Peter

Why is this better? I assume that you must change&restore the on error behavior to do this, isn't it?

Vlad