Files
glib/docs/reference/glib/tmpl/random_numbers.sgml
Owen Taylor 2ae1a46b4c Add g_object_add/remove_toggle_ref() functions to get notification when a
2005-05-05  Owen Taylor  <otaylor@redhat.com>

        * gobject.[ch] gobject.symbols: Add
        g_object_add/remove_toggle_ref() functions to get notification
        when a reference count is the last remaining reference; this
        enables better memory management for language bindings.
        (http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gtk-devel-list/2005-April/msg00095.html)

2005-05-05  Owen Taylor  <otaylor@redhat.com>

        * glib/gdataset.[ch] glib/gdatasetprivate.h: Add
        g_datalist_set/unset_flags(), g_datalist_get_flags() functions
        to squeeze some bits into a GDataSet... this is needed for
        efficient implementation of toggle references in GObject.

        * tests/gobject/references.c tests/gobject/Makefile.am:
        Add a test case for weak and toggle references.

        * glib/gfileutils.[ch]: Rename g_file_replace() back
        to g_file_set_contents().

        * glib/glib.symbols: Update.

2005-05-05  Owen Taylor  <otaylor@redhat.com>

        * glib/Makefile.am glib/glib-sections.txt gobject/gobject-sections.txt:
        Update

        * gobject/tmpl/objects.sgml: Document toggle-references.
2005-05-05 14:57:29 +00:00

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<!-- ##### SECTION Title ##### -->
Random Numbers
<!-- ##### SECTION Short_Description ##### -->
pseudo-random number generator.
<!-- ##### SECTION Long_Description ##### -->
<para>
The following functions allow you to use a portable, fast and good
pseudo-random number generator (PRNG). It uses the Mersenne Twister
PRNG, which was originally developed by Makoto Matsumoto and Takuji
Nishimura. Further information can be found at <ulink
url="http://www.math.keio.ac.jp/~matumoto/emt.html"
>www.math.keio.ac.jp/~matumoto/emt.html</ulink>.
</para>
<para>
If you just need a random number, you simply call the
<function>g_random_*</function> functions, which will create a globally
used #GRand and use the according <function>g_rand_*</function> functions
internally. Whenever you need a stream of reproducible random numbers, you
better create a #GRand yourself and use the <function>g_rand_*</function>
functions directly, which will also be slightly faster. Initializing a #GRand
with a certain seed will produce exactly the same series of random numbers
on all platforms. This can thus be used as a seed for e.g. games.
</para>
<para>
The <function>g_rand*_range</function> functions will return high quality
equally distributed random numbers, whereas for example the
<literal>(g_random_int()&percnt;max)</literal> approach often doesn't
yield equally distributed numbers.
</para>
<para>
GLib changed the seeding algorithm for the pseudo-random number
generator Mersenne Twister, as used by <structname>GRand</structname>
and <structname>GRandom</structname>. This was necessary, because some
seeds would yield very bad pseudo-random streams. Also the
pseudo-random integers generated by
<function>g_rand*_int_range()</function> will have a
slightly better equal distribution with the new version of GLib.
</para>
<para>
The original seeding and generation algorithms, as found in GLib 2.0.x,
can be used instead of the new ones by setting the environment variable
<envar>G_RANDOM_VERSION</envar> to the value of '2.0'. Use the
GLib-2.0 algorithms only if you have sequences of numbers generated
with Glib-2.0 that you need to reproduce exactly.
</para>
<!-- ##### SECTION See_Also ##### -->
<para>
</para>
<!-- ##### SECTION Stability_Level ##### -->
<!-- ##### STRUCT GRand ##### -->
<para>
The #GRand struct is an opaque data structure. It should only be
accessed through the <function>g_rand_*</function> functions.
</para>
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_new_with_seed ##### -->
@seed:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_new_with_seed_array ##### -->
<para>
</para>
@seed:
@seed_length:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_new ##### -->
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_copy ##### -->
<para>
</para>
@rand_:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_free ##### -->
@rand_:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_set_seed ##### -->
@rand_:
@seed:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_set_seed_array ##### -->
<para>
</para>
@rand_:
@seed:
@seed_length:
<!-- ##### MACRO g_rand_boolean ##### -->
<para>
Returns a random #gboolean from @rand_. This corresponds to a unbiased
coin toss.
</para>
@rand_: a #GRand.
@Returns: a random #gboolean.
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_int ##### -->
@rand_:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_int_range ##### -->
@rand_:
@begin:
@end:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_double ##### -->
@rand_:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_rand_double_range ##### -->
@rand_:
@begin:
@end:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_random_set_seed ##### -->
@seed:
<!-- ##### MACRO g_random_boolean ##### -->
<para>
Returns a random #gboolean. This corresponds to a unbiased coin toss.
</para>
@Returns: a random #gboolean.
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_random_int ##### -->
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_random_int_range ##### -->
@begin:
@end:
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_random_double ##### -->
@Returns:
<!-- ##### FUNCTION g_random_double_range ##### -->
@begin:
@end:
@Returns: