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Message-ID: <6801364.59051164821457152.JavaMail.root@srv161.carpathiahost.net>
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:30:57 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Herrin <jeff@alternateimage.com>
To: Aaron Bono <postgresql@aranya.com>
Subject: Re: consistent random order
Cc: pgsql-sql@postgresql.org
In-Reply-To: <bf05e51c0611290923s2cfcd332l5ab20e74a606c858@mail.gmail.com>
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I need it a little more random than that. In both these scenarios, the same=
 items will always follow each other.=20

Jeff=20

----- Original Message -----=20
Why not create a random seed between 1 and the number of possibilities in y=
our web application when a user first hits the site, store that in the sess=
ion and then increment it by 1 (do a modulus to wrap the numbers back to 1)=
 and just select with an offset equal to this number?=C2=A0 That way you ge=
t the first item chosen at random but the rest are sequential.=C2=A0 If you=
 want this somewhat random, create a "random" ordering field on the table a=
nd sort by that so the pages are not sorted by name or id or whatever else =
it may normally sort by.=20

You could then take it further and use cookies so the next time that person=
 comes to the site, the "random" page picks up where it left off.=20

Just an idea...=20

--=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=20
=C2=A0=C2=A0 Aaron Bono=20
=C2=A0=C2=A0 Aranya Software Technologies, Inc.=20
=C2=A0=C2=A0 http://www.aranya.com=20
=C2=A0=C2=A0 http://codeelixir.com=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
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<html><body>I need it a little more random than that. In both these scenari=
os, the same items will always follow each other. <BR><BR>Jeff<BR><BR>-----=
 Original Message -----<BR>Why not create a random seed between 1 and the n=
umber of possibilities in your web application when a user first hits the s=
ite, store that in the session and then increment it by 1 (do a modulus to =
wrap the numbers back to 1) and just select with an offset equal to this nu=
mber?&nbsp; That way you get the first item chosen at random but the rest a=
re sequential.&nbsp; If you want this somewhat random, create a "random" or=
dering field on the table and sort by that so the pages are not sorted by n=
ame or id or whatever else it may normally sort by. <BR><BR>You could then =
take it further and use cookies so the next time that person comes to the s=
ite, the "random" page picks up where it left off.<BR><BR>Just an idea...<B=
R clear=3Dall><BR>-- <BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 <BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Aaron Bono<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Aranya Software Technologies, =
Inc.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; <A href=3D"http://www.aranya.com/" target=3D_blank>htt=
p://www.aranya.com</A><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; <A href=3D"http://codeelixir.com/" t=
arget=3D_blank>http://codeelixir.com</A><BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D </body></html>
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