[Tutor] Data persistence problem

[Dave Angel]

On 06/21/2013 02:21 AM, Arijit Ukil wrote:
> I have following random number generation function
>
> def rand_int ():
>      rand_num = int(math.ceil (random.random()*1000))
>      return rand_num
>
> I like to make the value of rand_num (return of rand_int) static/
> unchanged after first call even if it is called multiple times. If x=
> rand_int () returns 45 at the first call, x should retain 45 even in
> multiple calls.
> Pls help.
>

You do realize that this will return the values 1 through 1000 each with 
a probability of just under 0.1%, and return the value 0 extremely 
rarely?  I'd assume you really meant for it to exclude the value of 0 
(or else make it a lot more likely).

def rand_int(precalc_value=random.randint(1,1000)):
     return precalc_value

As long as you don't call it with a keyword of precalc_value, it'll 
retain that initial value each time it's called.

And if you wanted the value of zero to also be equally likely (with a 
probability of 1/1001)

def rand_int(precalc_value=random.randint(0,1000)):
     return precalc_value


-- 
DaveA