Random Number Generator

  • I am trying to create a random number generator that would populate a number between 8-48 to 9 different lanes with the only criteria being that each lane number cannot be within 5 of any lane within 3 spaces of it. So what I mean is if lane 4 has a number of 30 then lane 1-2-3 and lane 5-6-7 cannot be within 5 of lane 4's number. Hope this makes sense and any help would be sincerely appreciated....

  • todd.ayers (4/30/2013)


    I am trying to create a random number generator that would populate a number between 8-48 to 9 different lanes with the only criteria being that each lane number cannot be within 5 of any lane within 3 spaces of it. So what I mean is if lane 4 has a number of 30 then lane 1-2-3 and lane 5-6-7 cannot be within 5 of lane 4's number. Hope this makes sense and any help would be sincerely appreciated....

    No problem. Folks here love this sort of question! Here's a solution for openers:

    ;WITH SemiRandomNumbers AS (

    SELECT Lane = 8 + ABS(CHECKSUM(NEWID()))%41

    FROM syscolumns a

    )

    SELECT *

    FROM (SELECT ID = 1 UNION ALL SELECT 2 UNION ALL SELECT 3 UNION ALL SELECT 4) s

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane1 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers --ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)

    ) l1

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane2 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    ) l2

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane3 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    ) l3

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane4 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    ) l4

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane5 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    ) l5

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane6 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    ) l6

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane7 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    ) l7

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane8 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l7.Lane7-5 AND l7.Lane7+5)

    ) l8

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane9 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l7.Lane7-5 AND l7.Lane7+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l8.Lane8-5 AND l8.Lane8+5)

    ) l9

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • ok... so how can I test this to see if works? What part should I look at or copy?

  • Copy the lot, paste it into an SSMS window and execute it.

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • well..... Darn.. I dont have SQL on my desktop... only access 2007

  • todd.ayers (4/30/2013)


    well..... Darn.. I dont have SQL on my desktop... only access 2007

    Sorry, I can only guarantee that it will run in SQL Server 2008 - this is, after all, the SQL Server 2008 forum section 😀

    Access will probably want to join it to a database down the network somewhere and plug on a front end with user toys. Be firm.

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • Thx Bro I really really appreciate all your help!!!!

  • todd.ayers (4/30/2013)


    Thx Bro I really really appreciate all your help!!!!

    BRO?!!! Are you an old git too?

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • LOL!! yeah sorry hope I didnt offend you?

  • todd.ayers (4/30/2013)


    LOL!! yeah sorry hope I didnt offend you?

    Heck no!

    Have you tested the code yet?

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • Actually I am having to wait until my support desk can download the SQL development tools to my desktop on Thursday morning. Once they do I will be testing it... so I will let you know how it works... Thx Again!!!!

  • We are currently using Access 2007 but the powers that be want us to move to a SQL Server backend and have access 2007 basically lay over the top of it as a front end option... so Im sure I will be posting alot on here cause I dont know SQL yet...

  • really a nice solution:-)

  • Well,

    I have finally had a chance to test this and I keep getting an error message saying:

    Msg 102, Level 15, State 1, Line 53

    Incorrect syntax near ')'.

    I don't see anything wrong with the code though

  • ChrisM@Work (4/30/2013)


    todd.ayers (4/30/2013)


    I am trying to create a random number generator that would populate a number between 8-48 to 9 different lanes with the only criteria being that each lane number cannot be within 5 of any lane within 3 spaces of it. So what I mean is if lane 4 has a number of 30 then lane 1-2-3 and lane 5-6-7 cannot be within 5 of lane 4's number. Hope this makes sense and any help would be sincerely appreciated....

    No problem. Folks here love this sort of question! Here's a solution for openers:

    ;WITH SemiRandomNumbers AS (

    SELECT Lane = 8 + ABS(CHECKSUM(NEWID()))%41

    FROM syscolumns a

    )

    SELECT *

    FROM (SELECT ID = 1 UNION ALL SELECT 2 UNION ALL SELECT 3 UNION ALL SELECT 4) s

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane1 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers --ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)

    ) l1

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane2 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    ) l2

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane3 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    ) l3

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane4 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l1.Lane1-5 AND l1.Lane1+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    ) l4

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane5 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l2.Lane2-5 AND l2.Lane2+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    ) l5

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane6 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l3.Lane3-5 AND l3.Lane3+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    ) l6

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane7 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l4.Lane4-5 AND l4.Lane4+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    ) l7

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane8 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l5.Lane5-5 AND l5.Lane5+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l7.Lane7-5 AND l7.Lane7+5)

    ) l8

    CROSS APPLY (

    SELECT TOP 1 Lane9 = Lane FROM SemiRandomNumbers r

    WHERE NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l6.Lane6-5 AND l6.Lane6+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l7.Lane7-5 AND l7.Lane7+5)

    AND NOT (r.Lane BETWEEN l8.Lane8-5 AND l8.Lane8+5)

    ) l9

    That is a brilliant solution Chris!

    And here I thought when I pulled up this thread I could make a shameless plug for my random numbers article (in my signature).

    Thanks by the way for the nice plug in your signature for my rCTEs article.


    My mantra: No loops! No CURSORs! No RBAR! Hoo-uh![/I]

    My thought question: Have you ever been told that your query runs too fast?

    My advice:
    INDEXing a poor-performing query is like putting sugar on cat food. Yeah, it probably tastes better but are you sure you want to eat it?
    The path of least resistance can be a slippery slope. Take care that fixing your fixes of fixes doesn't snowball and end up costing you more than fixing the root cause would have in the first place.

    Need to UNPIVOT? Why not CROSS APPLY VALUES instead?[/url]
    Since random numbers are too important to be left to chance, let's generate some![/url]
    Learn to understand recursive CTEs by example.[/url]
    [url url=http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/St

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 32 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply