randu

Create an iterator for generating uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.

Usage

var iterator = require( '@stdlib/random/iter/randu' );

iterator( [options] )

Returns an iterator for generating uniformly distributed pseudorandom numbers between 0 and 1.

var it = iterator();
// returns <Object>

var r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

// ...

The function accepts the following options:

  • name: name of a supported pseudorandom number generator (PRNG), which will serve as the underlying source of pseudorandom numbers. The following generators are supported:

    • mt19937: 32-bit Mersenne Twister.
    • minstd: linear congruential pseudorandom number generator (LCG) based on Park and Miller.
    • minstd-shuffle: linear congruential pseudorandom number generator (LCG) whose output is shuffled.

    Default: 'mt19937'.

  • seed: pseudorandom number generator seed. Valid seed values vary according to the underlying PRNG.

  • state: pseudorandom number generator state. Valid state values vary according to the underlying PRNG. If provided, the function ignores the seed option.

  • copy: boolean indicating whether to copy a provided pseudorandom number generator state. Setting this option to false allows sharing state between two or more pseudorandom number generators. Setting this option to true ensures that a returned generator has exclusive control over its internal state. Default: true.

  • iter: number of iterations.

By default, the underlying pseudorandom number generator is mt19937. To use a different PRNG, set the name option.

var it = iterator({
    'name': 'minstd-shuffle'
});

var r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

To return an iterator having a specific initial state, set the iterator state option.

var bool;
var it1;
var it2;
var r;
var i;

it1 = iterator();

// Generate pseudorandom numbers, thus progressing the generator state:
for ( i = 0; i < 1000; i++ ) {
    r = it1.next().value;
}

// Create a new iterator initialized to the current state of `it1`:
it2 = iterator({
    'state': it1.state
});

// Test that the generated pseudorandom numbers are the same:
bool = ( it1.next().value === it2.next().value );
// returns true

To seed the iterator, set the seed option.

var it1 = iterator({
    'seed': 7823
});

var r1 = it1.next().value;
// returns <number>

var it2 = iterator({
    'seed': 7823
});

var r2 = it2.next().value;
// returns <number>

var bool = ( r1 === r2 );
// returns true

To limit the number of iterations, set the iter option.

var it = iterator({
    'iter': 2
});

var r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

r = it.next().value;
// returns <number>

r = it.next().done;
// returns true

The returned iterator protocol-compliant object has the following properties:

  • next: function which returns an iterator protocol-compliant object containing the next iterated value (if one exists) assigned to a value property and a done property having a boolean value indicating whether the iterator is finished.
  • return: function which closes an iterator and returns a single (optional) argument in an iterator protocol-compliant object.
  • seed: pseudorandom number generator seed.
  • seedLength: length of generator seed.
  • state: writable property for getting and setting the generator state.
  • stateLength: length of generator state.
  • byteLength: size (in bytes) of generator state.
  • PRNG: underlying pseudorandom number generator.

Notes

  • If an environment supports Symbol.iterator, the returned iterator is iterable.
  • Warning: the default underlying source of pseudorandom numbers may change in the future. If exact reproducibility is required, either explicitly specify a PRNG via the name option or use an underlying PRNG directly.
  • If PRNG state is "shared" (meaning a state array was provided during iterator creation and not copied) and one sets the underlying generator state to a state array having a different length, the iterator does not update the existing shared state and, instead, points to the newly provided state array. In order to synchronize the output of the underlying generator according to the new shared state array, the state array for each relevant iterator and/or PRNG must be explicitly set.
  • If PRNG state is "shared" and one sets the underlying generator state to a state array of the same length, the PRNG state is updated (along with the state of all other iterator and/or PRNGs sharing the PRNG's state array).

Examples

var iterator = require( '@stdlib/random/iter/randu' );

var it;
var r;

// Create a seeded iterator for generating pseudorandom numbers:
it = iterator({
    'seed': 1234,
    'iter': 10
});

// Perform manual iteration...
while ( true ) {
    r = it.next();
    if ( r.done ) {
        break;
    }
    console.log( r.value );
}
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