How does one generate a random number in Apple's Swift language?

Question

I realize the Swift book provided an implementation of a random number generator. Is the best practice to copy and paste this implementation in one\'s own program? Or is t

Answer 1

Use arc4random_uniform(n) for a random integer between 0 and n-1.

let diceRoll = Int(arc4random_uniform(6) + 1)

Cast the result to Int so you don't have to explicitly type your vars as UInt32 (which seems un-Swifty).

Answer 2

You can use GeneratorOf like this:

var fibs = ArraySlice([1, 1])
var fibGenerator = GeneratorOf{
    _ -> Int? in
    fibs.append(fibs.reduce(0, combine:+))
    return fibs.removeAtIndex(0)
}

println(fibGenerator.next())
println(fibGenerator.next())
println(fibGenerator.next())
println(fibGenerator.next())
println(fibGenerator.next())
println(fibGenerator.next())

Answer 3

You can do it the same way that you would in C:

let randomNumber = arc4random()

randomNumber is inferred to be of type UInt32 (a 32-bit unsigned integer)

Answer 4

In Swift 4.2 you can generate random numbers by calling the random() method on whatever numeric type you want, providing the range you want to work with. For example, this generates a random number in the range 1 through 9, inclusive on both sides

let randInt = Int.random(in: 1..<10)

Also with other types

let randFloat = Float.random(in: 1..<20)
let randDouble = Double.random(in: 1...30)
let randCGFloat = CGFloat.random(in: 1...40)

Answer 5

Swift 4.2

Swift 4.2 has included a native and fairly full-featured random number API in the standard library. (Swift Evolution proposal SE-0202)

let intBetween0to9 = Int.random(in: 0...9) 
let doubleBetween0to1 = Double.random(in: 0...1)

All number types have the static random(in:) which takes the range and returns the random number in the given range

Answer 6

Details

xCode 9.1, Swift 4

Math oriented solution (1)

import Foundation

class Random {

    subscript<T>(_ min: T, _ max: T) -> T where T : BinaryInteger {
        get {
            return rand(min-1, max+1)
        }
    }
}

let rand = Random()

func rand<T>(_ min: T, _ max: T) -> T where T : BinaryInteger {
    let _min = min + 1
    let difference = max - _min
    return T(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(difference))) + _min
}

Usage of solution (1)

let x = rand(-5, 5)       // x = [-4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
let x = rand[0, 10]       // x = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Programmers oriented solution (2)

Do not forget to add Math oriented solution (1) code here

import Foundation

extension CountableRange where Bound : BinaryInteger {

    var random: Bound {
        return rand(lowerBound-1, upperBound)
    }
}

extension CountableClosedRange where Bound : BinaryInteger {

    var random: Bound {
        return rand[lowerBound, upperBound]
    }
}

Usage of solution (2)

let x = (-8..<2).random           // x = [-8, -7, -6, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1]
let x = (0..<10).random           // x = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
let x = (-10 ... -2).random       // x = [-10, -9, -8, -7, -6, -5, -4, -3, -2]

Full Sample

Do not forget to add solution (1) and solution (2) codes here

private func generateRandNums(closure:()->(Int)) {

    var allNums = Set<Int>()
    for _ in 0..<100 {
        allNums.insert(closure())
    }
    print(allNums.sorted{ $0 < $1 })
}

generateRandNums {
    (-8..<2).random
}

generateRandNums {
    (0..<10).random
}

generateRandNums {
    (-10 ... -2).random
}

generateRandNums {
    rand(-5, 5)
}
generateRandNums {
    rand[0, 10]
}

Sample result