Short:    Generate random numbers for scripts
Author:   T.Heinrich@t-online.de (Thomas Heinrich)
Uploader: T.Heinrich@t-online.de (Thomas Heinrich)
Version:  1.0
Type:     util/cli
Requires: OS2.04+, MC68020+

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* OPTIMIZED FOR MC68020+ ! *
****************************

While I was browsing through the web, iI collected looots of
photos of phantastic women. So I really could not decide which
one to use as the workbench backdrop. Using WBPattern to create
multiple preferences files was easy, but how get them changed
after every reboot ?

So I renamed all the prefs as Backdrop.xx, where xx is a number
from 0 to 51 ;^). But how do I generate a random number in a shell ?
Finally I quickly wrote a program, which used the system seconds,
and masked out the lower few bits, being able to use first 16 then
32 backdrops.

I was not to satified with that, as it only produced fixed steps
to use as numbers (16, 32 the next would have been 64). I spent
half an afternoon, then, to produce this program here: Randomizer !

What it does:
-------------
It also reads the seconds from the timer of your Amiga and then
produces a CONFIGURABLE number of random numbers. For script
convenience, it stores the number in a local shell variable named
"RANDOM". So you can access it e.g. by typing

WBPattern Backdrop.$RANDOM USE

This loads a random backdrop picture, given you prepared the prefs
in the first place.

What it can NOT do:
-------------------
It does not save the random number permanently. Obviously it is a
RANDOM number, so there is no sense in storing it.
I also aborted the number to be delivered as a return value to the
shell. I was annoyed, when my startup-sequence stopped, saying the
program failed. Silly me forgot to set the FailAt value higher !
No fiddling with FailAt in this version anymore. It just works.

What YOU should do:
-------------------
READ THE DOCS BEFORE USING THE PROGRAM !

To be honest, there are no docs... Search for the file "ReadMeFirst"
in this distribution, to figure out how to make Randomizer work.

One more, at last: It is FREEWARE ! And it comes with the complete
C source !!!

Have fun,
    Thomas "Hoin" Heinrich.

VISIT MY HOMEPAGE: http://home.t-online.de/home/T.Heinrich/homepage.htm


============================= Archive contents =============================

Original  Packed Ratio    Date     Time    Name
-------- ------- ----- --------- --------  -------------
    4333    2080 51.9% 28-Feb-97 20:46:06  Freeware_deutsch.txt
    3890    1838 52.7% 26-Mar-97 13:08:32  Freeware_english.txt
    1524    1069 29.8% 05-Apr-97 16:07:32  Randomizer
    3103    1390 55.2% 05-Apr-97 20:32:16  Randomizer.c
    2275    1229 45.9% 05-Apr-97 19:18:48  Randomizer.readme
    3013    1515 49.7% 05-Apr-97 20:05:40  ReadMeFirst
    3848     587 84.7% 05-Apr-97 20:07:02  ReadMeFirst.info
-------- ------- ----- --------- --------
   21986    9708 55.8% 06-Apr-97 23:16:30   7 files