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instance method
Kernel#srand
srand(number = Random.new_seed) → old_seed
random.c
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static VALUE
rb_f_srand(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE obj)
{
VALUE seed, old;
rb_random_mt_t *r = rand_mt_start(default_rand());
if (rb_check_arity(argc, 0, 1) == 0) {
seed = random_seed(obj);
}
else {
seed = rb_to_int(argv[0]);
}
old = r->base.seed;
rand_init(&random_mt_if, &r->base, seed);
r->base.seed = seed;
return old;
}
Seeds the system pseudo-random number generator, with number. The previous seed value is returned.
If number is omitted, seeds the generator using a source of entropy provided by the operating system, if available (/dev/urandom on Unix systems or the RSA cryptographic provider on Windows), which is then combined with the time, the process id, and a sequence number.
srand may be used to ensure repeatable sequences of pseudo-random numbers between different runs of the program. By setting the seed to a known value, programs can be made deterministic during testing.
Example
srand 1234 # => 268519324636777531569100071560086917274 [ rand, rand ] # => [0.1915194503788923, 0.6221087710398319] [ rand(10), rand(1000) ] # => [4, 664] srand 1234 # => 1234 [ rand, rand ] # => [0.1915194503788923, 0.6221087710398319]