Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!dragon.dnet!havlicsek_bl%umbc3
From: havlicsek_bl%umbc3@dragon.dnet
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti.explorer
Subject: Substitute for RANDOM
Message-ID: <8912011405.AA05163@umbc3.umbc.edu>
Date: 1 Dec 89 13:28:35 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: inet
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 26

I'm trying to port some Common Lisp code developed on the Explorer
to Gold Hill Common Lisp (GCLISP version 1.1) on a IBM compatible.  
I have two problems: (1) the REMOVE function in GCLISP does 
not take the :COUNT keyword and (2) there is no RANDOM 
function to generate random numbers.

I can easily write my own version of REMOVE to fix the first 
problem.  This means that either I replace GCLISP's 
compiled REMOVE with my version (all user code runs 
interpreted) or I have to edit my source code each time I 
port it to use a new function name, like MY-REMOVE 
(GCLISP doesn't accept reader #-sign macros).

For the second problem I can probably find a "formula" for 
generating random numbers from a seed number.  The Common 
Lisp reference has some suggestions and GCLISP does have a 
few transcendental functions.  I don't need all of the 
capability of RANDOM: I only need and integer in the range 
[0, N) where N <= 10, i.e., a base N digit.

If someone out there needs something to do, I'll take your 
suggestions.  Thanks in advance.

Bruce Havlicsek
Loyola College, Baltimore
HAVLICSEK_BL%DRAGON.DNET%TRON.UUCP%UMBC3.UMBC.EDU