random(C)
random --
generate a random number
Syntax
random
[ -s ]
[ scale ]
Description
The random command
generates a random number on the standard output.
and returns the number as its exit value.
By default, this number is either 0 or 1
(that is,
scale
is 1 by default).
If
scale
is given a value between 1 and 255, then the range
of the random value is from 0 to
scale.
If
scale
is greater than 255, an error message is printed.
When the
-s,
``silent'' option is given,
the random number is returned as an exit
value but is not printed on the standard output.
If an error occurs,
random
returns an exit value of zero.
Limitations
This command does not perform any floating point
computations.
See also
rand(S)
© 2003 Caldera International, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003