I could swear that I once used several objects which I thought were part of Cyclone that did this and related things:

given several numeric arguments
chose a random selection of these
based on:
the number of chosen values being a random number based on the first argument (functioning as our usual [random] object functions)

example:
[mysteryObject argN valA val B ... valN]

returns: a quantity [random argN-1] of random selection from the list valA valB ... valN

I realise that this is basically a random list operation and I have a version of something similar in Vanilla but I could have sworn I used some really great objects that did this a few years ago (and I could have sworn they were from Cyclone) but perhaps I am totally mistaken?!

anyone know about this?

should have tagged @Porres who would know about Cyclone and whose collection of random stuff in Else is amazing (but not for this task I don't think) ...maybe you have some idea on this?

[rand.list]?

oh wow, yes...how did I miss that one?
Thank you @Porres!

Weirdly, I still think there were some others somewhere...that had different sorting functions. But this will work well for what I am doing.

Cheers!
Jorge

@Coalman Probably the list-abs library....... maybe [list-wrandom]..?
Although the list-abs library comprises vanilla abstractions.
David.

@whale-av said:

list-wrandom

excellent. That isn't the one I used before but is also very interesting for the sort of stuff I am doing!
I also found some others...but still not what I was using before. I need to find the old patches...somewhere.....

also of course (just in case anyone is searching this in the future)

[array random]

[cyclone/urn] (also in nilwind library)

perhaps I dreampt it, I 've done this before.
but I recall the existence of randomisers with sorting functions

you could specify "how many random numbers to generate?"
and things like "which outlet they come out of" (like a random route object)
or do what the [else/rand.list] does above.

I am sure I can make something from that, but it would be interesting to find if these actually exist. If so, I will post them here for the next person who looks for them.

@Coalman Nearly...... see [sort-help] from the zexy library, which contains what could be a specified list randomiser if a $ argument is added to [pd randompackage].....
No post sort routing though.
David.

please ignore 'nilwind':)

and else/rand.u is more powerful for generating unrepeated sequences, it has more features.

I don't understand what "randomisers with sorting functions" could be.

ELSE also has [chance] that outputs to different outlets.

You can also make a request for an object or a specific functionality and I can include it in the library

Thanks both for all your input on this!
I am always looking for simplify the flow for setting up multi-tiered decision systems, and sort the results. In Pd I have done this by sending up one [random x] to tell me how many (x) times to run the next [random y].
Often I also want [random x] to give some result z that alters the thresholds of the subsequent [random y] while (separately) specifying the number of decisions made at this stage.
The mystery object I used once before streamlined this..but it can be just written out as well (in Pd or Supercollider for example,, from existing objects).

What would be quite interesting is to be able to make x random decisions over some array that could be strings or symbols rather than numbers. Of course numbers could be generated then mapped onto symbols AFTER being generated but even so having an array (while even numeric) that isn't a 'range' (ex. 5, 82, 48, 5.3, 2.9, 9 rather than [random 8] being a range = 0 -> ( 8-1 )
this sort of functionality is what some of the older 'shuffle' objects do.

I am already a big fan of Else. I have another look into these object meanwhile! Thanks so much. It has been interesting to revisit these in search of this elusive vision.

@Coalman said:

The mystery object I used once before streamlined this

still not clear to me... if you show me a patch I can see if it makes sense to make an external out of it or jam in this feature into an existing object

sounds good. I will work on the immediate project, when I have a good function solution I'll isolate that and send it to you and we can pick up the discussion then.
good stuff.
Jorge