Numeric RandomArray seed problem

[Robert Kern]

ajikoe at gmail.com wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I tried calling RandomArray.seed()
> by calling RandomArray.get_seed() I get the seed number (x,y).
> My problem is that x is always 113611 any advice?

Well, RandomArray.seed() gets its seed from the computer's time.

def seed(x=0,y=0):
    """seed(x, y), set the seed using the integers x, y;
    Set a random one from clock if  y == 0
    """
    if type (x) != IntType or type (y) != IntType :
        raise ArgumentError, "seed requires integer arguments."
    if y == 0:
        import time
        t = time.time()
        ndigits = int(math.log10(t))
        base = 10**(ndigits/2)
        x = int(t/base)
        y = 1 + int(t%base)
    ranlib.set_seeds(x,y)

As you can see, x won't change much if the difference in t is small.

Note, that in scipy_core, the random number facilities have been
completely rewritten. We now use the Mersenne Twister algorithm, which
uses 2496 bytes of state instead of 8 like RandomArray. On UNIX-type
systems with a /dev/urandom and also Windows, the default seed (all
2496 bytes of state) is drawn from the OS's "cryptographic PRNG" where
available.