diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/Makefile | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib.tex | 6 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/lib.tex | 6 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libanydbm.tex | 29 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libmisc.tex | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/librand.tex | 25 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/librandom.tex | 71 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libsite.tex | 29 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libsomeos.tex | 5 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libwhichdb.tex | 16 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/lib/libwhrandom.tex | 28 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libanydbm.tex | 29 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libmisc.tex | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/librand.tex | 25 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/librandom.tex | 71 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libsite.tex | 29 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libsomeos.tex | 5 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libwhichdb.tex | 16 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/libwhrandom.tex | 28 |
19 files changed, 401 insertions, 41 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/Makefile b/Doc/Makefile index c556213..ebcfa12 100644 --- a/Doc/Makefile +++ b/Doc/Makefile @@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ LIBFILES = lib.tex \ librestricted.tex librexec.tex libbastion.tex \ libformatter.tex liboperator.tex libsoundex.tex libresource.tex \ libstat.tex libstrio.tex libundoc.tex libmailcap.tex libglob.tex \ - libuser.tex + libuser.tex libanydbm.tex librandom.tex libsite.tex libwhichdb.tex # Library document lib.dvi: $(LIBFILES) diff --git a/Doc/lib.tex b/Doc/lib.tex index c6fd107..fd98bfa 100644 --- a/Doc/lib.tex +++ b/Doc/lib.tex @@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libmarshal} \input{libimp} \input{libparser} +\input{libsite} \input{libbltin} % really __builtin__ \input{libmain} % really __main__ @@ -99,8 +100,9 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libmisc} % Miscellaneous Services \input{libmath} -\input{librand} \input{libwhrandom} +\input{librandom} +\input{librand} \input{libarray} \input{liballos} % Generic Operating System Services @@ -116,6 +118,8 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libsocket} \input{libselect} \input{libthread} +\input{libanydbm} +\input{libwhichdb} \input{libunix} % UNIX Specific Services \input{libposix} diff --git a/Doc/lib/lib.tex b/Doc/lib/lib.tex index c6fd107..fd98bfa 100644 --- a/Doc/lib/lib.tex +++ b/Doc/lib/lib.tex @@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libmarshal} \input{libimp} \input{libparser} +\input{libsite} \input{libbltin} % really __builtin__ \input{libmain} % really __main__ @@ -99,8 +100,9 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libmisc} % Miscellaneous Services \input{libmath} -\input{librand} \input{libwhrandom} +\input{librandom} +\input{librand} \input{libarray} \input{liballos} % Generic Operating System Services @@ -116,6 +118,8 @@ to Python and how to embed it in other applications. \input{libsocket} \input{libselect} \input{libthread} +\input{libanydbm} +\input{libwhichdb} \input{libunix} % UNIX Specific Services \input{libposix} diff --git a/Doc/lib/libanydbm.tex b/Doc/lib/libanydbm.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c465d39 --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/lib/libanydbm.tex @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{anydbm}} +\stmodindex{anydbm} +\stmodindex{dumbdbm} + +\code{anydbm} is a generic interface to variants of the DBM +database--DBM, GDBM, or dbhash. If none of these modules is +installed, the slow-but-simple implementation in \file{dumbdbm.py} +will be used. + +\begin{funcdesc}{open}{filename\optional{\, flag\, mode}} +Open the database file \var{filename} and return a corresponding object. +The optional \var{flag} argument can be +\code{'r'} to open an existing database for reading only, +\code{'w'} to open an existing database for reading and writing, +\code{'c'} to create the database if it doesn't exist, or +\code{'n'}, which will always create a new empty database. If not +specified, the default value is \code{'r'}. + +The optional \var{mode} argument is the \UNIX{} mode of the file, used +only when the database has to be created. It defaults to octal +\code{0666}. +\end{funcdesc} + +THe object returned by \code{open()} supports most of the same +functionality as dictionaries; keys and their corresponding values can +be stored, retrieved, and deleted, and the \code{has_key()} and +\code{keys()} methods are available. Keys and values must always be strings. + + diff --git a/Doc/lib/libmisc.tex b/Doc/lib/libmisc.tex index b7a726e..04be32b 100644 --- a/Doc/lib/libmisc.tex +++ b/Doc/lib/libmisc.tex @@ -8,11 +8,14 @@ that are available in all Python versions. Here's an overview: \item[math] --- Mathematical functions (\code{sin()} etc.). -\item[rand] ---- Integer random number generator. - \item[whrandom] ---- Floating point random number generator. +--- Floating point pseudo-random number generator. + +\item[random] +--- Generate pseudo-random numbers with various common distributions. + +\item[rand] +--- Integer pseudo-random number generator (obsolete). \item[array] --- Efficient arrays of uniformly typed numeric values. diff --git a/Doc/lib/librand.tex b/Doc/lib/librand.tex index 4991e59..5a4df3e 100644 --- a/Doc/lib/librand.tex +++ b/Doc/lib/librand.tex @@ -1,21 +1,22 @@ \section{Standard Module \sectcode{rand}} +\stmodindex{rand} -\stmodindex{rand} This module implements a pseudo-random number -generator with an interface similar to \code{rand()} in C\@. It defines -the following functions: +The \code{rand} module simulates the C library's \code{rand()} +interface, though the results aren't necessarily compatible with any +given library's implementation. While still supported for +compatibility, the \code{rand} module is now considered obsolete; if +possible, use the \code{whrandom} module instead. -\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module rand)} -\begin{funcdesc}{rand}{} -Returns an integer random number in the range [0 ... 32768). +\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{seq} +Returns a random element from the sequence \var{seq}. \end{funcdesc} -\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{s} -Returns a random element from the sequence (string, tuple or list) -\var{s}. +\begin{funcdesc}{rand}{} +Return a random integer between 0 and 32767, inclusive. \end{funcdesc} \begin{funcdesc}{srand}{seed} -Initializes the random number generator with the given integral seed. -When the module is first imported, the random number is initialized with -the current time. +Set a starting seed value for the random number generator; \var{seed} +can be an arbitrary integer. \end{funcdesc} + diff --git a/Doc/lib/librandom.tex b/Doc/lib/librandom.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bc92ce --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/lib/librandom.tex @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{random}} +\stmodindex{random} + +This module implements pseudo-random number generators for various +distributions: on the real line, there are functions to compute normal +or Gaussian, lognormal, negative exponential, gamma, and beta +distributions. For generating distribution of angles, the circular +uniform and von Mises distributions are available. + +The module exports the following functions, which are exactly +equivalent to those in the \code{whrandom} module: \code{choice}, +\code{randint}, \code{random}, \code{uniform}. See the documentation +for the \code{whrandom} module for these functions. + +The following functions specific to the \code{random} module are also +defined, and all return real values. Function parameters are named +after the corresponding variables in the distribution's equation, as +used in common mathematical practice; most of these equations can be +found in any statistics text. + +\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module random)} +\begin{funcdesc}{betavariate}{alpha\, beta} +Beta distribution. Conditions on the parameters are \code{alpha>-1} +and \code{beta>-1}. +Returned values will range between 0 and 1. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{cunifvariate}{mean\, arc} +Circular uniform distribution. \var{mean} is the mean angle, and +\var{arc} is the range of the distribution, centered around the mean +angle. Both values must be expressed in radians, and can range +between 0 and \code{pi}. Returned values will range between +\code{mean - arc/2} and \code{mean + arc/2}. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{expovariate}{lambd} +Exponential distribution. \var{lambd} is 1.0 divided by the desired mean. +(The parameter would be called ``lambda'', but that's also a reserved +word in Python.) Returned values will range from 0 to positive infinity. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{gamma}{alpha\, beta} +Gamma distribution. (\emph{Not} the gamma function!) +Conditions on the parameters are \code{alpha>-1} and \code{beta>0}. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{gauss}{mu\, sigma} +Gaussian distribution. \var{mu} is the mean, and \var{sigma} is the +standard deviation. This is slightly faster than the +\code{normalvariate} function defined below. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{lognormvariate}{mu\, sigma} +Log normal distribution. If you take the natural logarithm of this +distribution, you'll get a normal distribution with mean \var{mu} and +standard deviation \var{sigma} \var{mu} can have any value, and \var{sigma} +must be greater than zero. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{normalvariate}{mu\, sigma} +Normal distribution. \var{mu} is the mean, and \var{sigma} is the +standard deviation. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{vonmisesvariate}{mu\, kappa} +\var{mu} is the mean angle, expressed in radians between 0 and pi, +and \var{kappa} is the concentration parameter, which must be greater +then or equal to zero. If \var{kappa} is equal to zero, this +distribution reduces to a uniform random angle over the range 0 to +\code{2*pi}. +\end{funcdesc} diff --git a/Doc/lib/libsite.tex b/Doc/lib/libsite.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c97fd4e --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/lib/libsite.tex @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{site}} +\stmodindex{site} + +Scripts or modules that need to use site-specific modules should +execute \code{import site} somewhere near the top of their code. This +will append up to two site-specific paths (\code{sys.prefix + +'/lib/site-python'} and +\code{sys.exec_prefix + '/lib/site-python'}) to the module search path. +\code{sys.prefix} and \code{sys.exec_prefix} are configured when Python is installed; the default value is \file{/usr/local}. + +Because of Python's import semantics, it is okay for more than one +module to import \code{site} -- only the first one will execute the +site customizations. The directories are only appended to the path if +they exist and are not already on it. + +Sites that wish to provide site-specific modules should place them in +one of the site specific directories; \code{sys.prefix + +'/lib/site-python'} is for Python source code and +\code{sys.exec_prefix + '/lib/site-python'} is for dynamically +loadable extension modules (shared libraries). + +After these path manipulations, an attempt is made to import a module +named \code{sitecustomize}, which can perform arbitrary site-specific +customizations. If this import fails with an \code{ImportError} +exception, it is ignored. + +Note that for non-Unix systems, \code{sys.prefix} and +\code{sys.exec_prefix} are empty, and the path manipulations are +skipped; however the import of \code{sitecustomize} is still attempted. diff --git a/Doc/lib/libsomeos.tex b/Doc/lib/libsomeos.tex index f9aedfe..49c1ab2 100644 --- a/Doc/lib/libsomeos.tex +++ b/Doc/lib/libsomeos.tex @@ -20,4 +20,9 @@ interfaces but they are available on some other systems as well \item[thread] --- Create multiple threads of control within one namespace. +\item[anydbm] +--- Generic interface to DBM-style database modules. +\item[whichdbm] +--- Guess which DBM-style module created a given database. + \end{description} diff --git a/Doc/lib/libwhichdb.tex b/Doc/lib/libwhichdb.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fbdfa8c --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/lib/libwhichdb.tex @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{whichdb}} +\stmodindex{whichdb} + +The single function in this module attempts to guess which of the +several simple database modules available--dbm, gdbm, or +dbhash--should be used to open a given file. + +\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module whichdb)} +\begin{funcdesc}{whichdb}{filename} +Returns one of the following values: \code{None} if the file can't be +opened because it's unreadable or doesn't exist; the empty string +(\code{""}) if the file's format can't be guessed; or a string +containing the required module name, such as \code{"dbm"} or +\code{"gdbm"}. +\end{funcdesc} + diff --git a/Doc/lib/libwhrandom.tex b/Doc/lib/libwhrandom.tex index 8ad2339..6094462 100644 --- a/Doc/lib/libwhrandom.tex +++ b/Doc/lib/libwhrandom.tex @@ -1,10 +1,19 @@ \section{Standard Module \sectcode{whrandom}} - \stmodindex{whrandom} -This module implements a Wichmann-Hill pseudo-random number generator. -It defines the following functions: +This module implements a Wichmann-Hill pseudo-random number generator +class that is also named \code{whrandom}. Instances of the +\code{whrandom} class have the following methods: \renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module whrandom)} + +\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{seq} +Chooses a random element from the non-empty sequence \var{seq} and returns it. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{randint}{a\, b} +Returns a random integer \var{N} such that \code{\var{a}<=\var{N}<=\var{b}}. +\end{funcdesc} + \begin{funcdesc}{random}{} Returns the next random floating point number in the range [0.0 ... 1.0). \end{funcdesc} @@ -18,3 +27,16 @@ and When the module is first imported, the random number is initialized using values derived from the current time. \end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{uniform}{a\, b} +Returns a random real number \var{N} such that \code{\var{a}<=\var{N}<\var{b}}. +\end{funcdesc} + +When imported, the \code{whrandom} module also creates an instance of +the \code{whrandom} class, and makes the methods of that instance +available at the module level. Therefore one can write either +\code{N = whrandom.random()} or: +\begin{verbatim} +generator = whrandom.whrandom() +N = generator.random() +\end{verbatim} diff --git a/Doc/libanydbm.tex b/Doc/libanydbm.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c465d39 --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/libanydbm.tex @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{anydbm}} +\stmodindex{anydbm} +\stmodindex{dumbdbm} + +\code{anydbm} is a generic interface to variants of the DBM +database--DBM, GDBM, or dbhash. If none of these modules is +installed, the slow-but-simple implementation in \file{dumbdbm.py} +will be used. + +\begin{funcdesc}{open}{filename\optional{\, flag\, mode}} +Open the database file \var{filename} and return a corresponding object. +The optional \var{flag} argument can be +\code{'r'} to open an existing database for reading only, +\code{'w'} to open an existing database for reading and writing, +\code{'c'} to create the database if it doesn't exist, or +\code{'n'}, which will always create a new empty database. If not +specified, the default value is \code{'r'}. + +The optional \var{mode} argument is the \UNIX{} mode of the file, used +only when the database has to be created. It defaults to octal +\code{0666}. +\end{funcdesc} + +THe object returned by \code{open()} supports most of the same +functionality as dictionaries; keys and their corresponding values can +be stored, retrieved, and deleted, and the \code{has_key()} and +\code{keys()} methods are available. Keys and values must always be strings. + + diff --git a/Doc/libmisc.tex b/Doc/libmisc.tex index b7a726e..04be32b 100644 --- a/Doc/libmisc.tex +++ b/Doc/libmisc.tex @@ -8,11 +8,14 @@ that are available in all Python versions. Here's an overview: \item[math] --- Mathematical functions (\code{sin()} etc.). -\item[rand] ---- Integer random number generator. - \item[whrandom] ---- Floating point random number generator. +--- Floating point pseudo-random number generator. + +\item[random] +--- Generate pseudo-random numbers with various common distributions. + +\item[rand] +--- Integer pseudo-random number generator (obsolete). \item[array] --- Efficient arrays of uniformly typed numeric values. diff --git a/Doc/librand.tex b/Doc/librand.tex index 4991e59..5a4df3e 100644 --- a/Doc/librand.tex +++ b/Doc/librand.tex @@ -1,21 +1,22 @@ \section{Standard Module \sectcode{rand}} +\stmodindex{rand} -\stmodindex{rand} This module implements a pseudo-random number -generator with an interface similar to \code{rand()} in C\@. It defines -the following functions: +The \code{rand} module simulates the C library's \code{rand()} +interface, though the results aren't necessarily compatible with any +given library's implementation. While still supported for +compatibility, the \code{rand} module is now considered obsolete; if +possible, use the \code{whrandom} module instead. -\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module rand)} -\begin{funcdesc}{rand}{} -Returns an integer random number in the range [0 ... 32768). +\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{seq} +Returns a random element from the sequence \var{seq}. \end{funcdesc} -\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{s} -Returns a random element from the sequence (string, tuple or list) -\var{s}. +\begin{funcdesc}{rand}{} +Return a random integer between 0 and 32767, inclusive. \end{funcdesc} \begin{funcdesc}{srand}{seed} -Initializes the random number generator with the given integral seed. -When the module is first imported, the random number is initialized with -the current time. +Set a starting seed value for the random number generator; \var{seed} +can be an arbitrary integer. \end{funcdesc} + diff --git a/Doc/librandom.tex b/Doc/librandom.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bc92ce --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/librandom.tex @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{random}} +\stmodindex{random} + +This module implements pseudo-random number generators for various +distributions: on the real line, there are functions to compute normal +or Gaussian, lognormal, negative exponential, gamma, and beta +distributions. For generating distribution of angles, the circular +uniform and von Mises distributions are available. + +The module exports the following functions, which are exactly +equivalent to those in the \code{whrandom} module: \code{choice}, +\code{randint}, \code{random}, \code{uniform}. See the documentation +for the \code{whrandom} module for these functions. + +The following functions specific to the \code{random} module are also +defined, and all return real values. Function parameters are named +after the corresponding variables in the distribution's equation, as +used in common mathematical practice; most of these equations can be +found in any statistics text. + +\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module random)} +\begin{funcdesc}{betavariate}{alpha\, beta} +Beta distribution. Conditions on the parameters are \code{alpha>-1} +and \code{beta>-1}. +Returned values will range between 0 and 1. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{cunifvariate}{mean\, arc} +Circular uniform distribution. \var{mean} is the mean angle, and +\var{arc} is the range of the distribution, centered around the mean +angle. Both values must be expressed in radians, and can range +between 0 and \code{pi}. Returned values will range between +\code{mean - arc/2} and \code{mean + arc/2}. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{expovariate}{lambd} +Exponential distribution. \var{lambd} is 1.0 divided by the desired mean. +(The parameter would be called ``lambda'', but that's also a reserved +word in Python.) Returned values will range from 0 to positive infinity. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{gamma}{alpha\, beta} +Gamma distribution. (\emph{Not} the gamma function!) +Conditions on the parameters are \code{alpha>-1} and \code{beta>0}. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{gauss}{mu\, sigma} +Gaussian distribution. \var{mu} is the mean, and \var{sigma} is the +standard deviation. This is slightly faster than the +\code{normalvariate} function defined below. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{lognormvariate}{mu\, sigma} +Log normal distribution. If you take the natural logarithm of this +distribution, you'll get a normal distribution with mean \var{mu} and +standard deviation \var{sigma} \var{mu} can have any value, and \var{sigma} +must be greater than zero. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{normalvariate}{mu\, sigma} +Normal distribution. \var{mu} is the mean, and \var{sigma} is the +standard deviation. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{vonmisesvariate}{mu\, kappa} +\var{mu} is the mean angle, expressed in radians between 0 and pi, +and \var{kappa} is the concentration parameter, which must be greater +then or equal to zero. If \var{kappa} is equal to zero, this +distribution reduces to a uniform random angle over the range 0 to +\code{2*pi}. +\end{funcdesc} diff --git a/Doc/libsite.tex b/Doc/libsite.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c97fd4e --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/libsite.tex @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{site}} +\stmodindex{site} + +Scripts or modules that need to use site-specific modules should +execute \code{import site} somewhere near the top of their code. This +will append up to two site-specific paths (\code{sys.prefix + +'/lib/site-python'} and +\code{sys.exec_prefix + '/lib/site-python'}) to the module search path. +\code{sys.prefix} and \code{sys.exec_prefix} are configured when Python is installed; the default value is \file{/usr/local}. + +Because of Python's import semantics, it is okay for more than one +module to import \code{site} -- only the first one will execute the +site customizations. The directories are only appended to the path if +they exist and are not already on it. + +Sites that wish to provide site-specific modules should place them in +one of the site specific directories; \code{sys.prefix + +'/lib/site-python'} is for Python source code and +\code{sys.exec_prefix + '/lib/site-python'} is for dynamically +loadable extension modules (shared libraries). + +After these path manipulations, an attempt is made to import a module +named \code{sitecustomize}, which can perform arbitrary site-specific +customizations. If this import fails with an \code{ImportError} +exception, it is ignored. + +Note that for non-Unix systems, \code{sys.prefix} and +\code{sys.exec_prefix} are empty, and the path manipulations are +skipped; however the import of \code{sitecustomize} is still attempted. diff --git a/Doc/libsomeos.tex b/Doc/libsomeos.tex index f9aedfe..49c1ab2 100644 --- a/Doc/libsomeos.tex +++ b/Doc/libsomeos.tex @@ -20,4 +20,9 @@ interfaces but they are available on some other systems as well \item[thread] --- Create multiple threads of control within one namespace. +\item[anydbm] +--- Generic interface to DBM-style database modules. +\item[whichdbm] +--- Guess which DBM-style module created a given database. + \end{description} diff --git a/Doc/libwhichdb.tex b/Doc/libwhichdb.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fbdfa8c --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/libwhichdb.tex @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ +\section{Standard Module \sectcode{whichdb}} +\stmodindex{whichdb} + +The single function in this module attempts to guess which of the +several simple database modules available--dbm, gdbm, or +dbhash--should be used to open a given file. + +\renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module whichdb)} +\begin{funcdesc}{whichdb}{filename} +Returns one of the following values: \code{None} if the file can't be +opened because it's unreadable or doesn't exist; the empty string +(\code{""}) if the file's format can't be guessed; or a string +containing the required module name, such as \code{"dbm"} or +\code{"gdbm"}. +\end{funcdesc} + diff --git a/Doc/libwhrandom.tex b/Doc/libwhrandom.tex index 8ad2339..6094462 100644 --- a/Doc/libwhrandom.tex +++ b/Doc/libwhrandom.tex @@ -1,10 +1,19 @@ \section{Standard Module \sectcode{whrandom}} - \stmodindex{whrandom} -This module implements a Wichmann-Hill pseudo-random number generator. -It defines the following functions: +This module implements a Wichmann-Hill pseudo-random number generator +class that is also named \code{whrandom}. Instances of the +\code{whrandom} class have the following methods: \renewcommand{\indexsubitem}{(in module whrandom)} + +\begin{funcdesc}{choice}{seq} +Chooses a random element from the non-empty sequence \var{seq} and returns it. +\end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{randint}{a\, b} +Returns a random integer \var{N} such that \code{\var{a}<=\var{N}<=\var{b}}. +\end{funcdesc} + \begin{funcdesc}{random}{} Returns the next random floating point number in the range [0.0 ... 1.0). \end{funcdesc} @@ -18,3 +27,16 @@ and When the module is first imported, the random number is initialized using values derived from the current time. \end{funcdesc} + +\begin{funcdesc}{uniform}{a\, b} +Returns a random real number \var{N} such that \code{\var{a}<=\var{N}<\var{b}}. +\end{funcdesc} + +When imported, the \code{whrandom} module also creates an instance of +the \code{whrandom} class, and makes the methods of that instance +available at the module level. Therefore one can write either +\code{N = whrandom.random()} or: +\begin{verbatim} +generator = whrandom.whrandom() +N = generator.random() +\end{verbatim} |