Hello, I am currently using puredata. I have one question about the role of "seed" in random object.

I read help file, but I could not understand the role of seed. There is any difference when I press seed message box. Plz let me know the role of "seed".

Thank you in advance.:D

Hi and welcome to this forum,

Pd's [random] is a pseudorandom number generator. This means that although the output "looks" random, it's actually being generated by a deterministic formula of which the results resemble a uniform distribution (the reason is why they "look" random). That said, if you start Pd and generate some random numbers, then quit Pd and do the same again, you will get the same results as before (due to the deterministic aspect mentioned before). To avoid this, you can send a seed to the number generator. If the seed is different each time, then the random numbers will also be different at each initialization. One of the tricks to get a unique seed every time is to use the CPU time to create a seed. See:

Also, if you are looking for a random number generator that always output different numbers on startup and does not need seeding, check miwi's objects here, his [rand] is excellent: https://github.com/0miwi0/pd-externals

Cheers,
Gilberto

@gsagostinho Thank you I have 2 questions:

1. how try/install [rand]?
2. how your pd have bended patchcords?(?)

@jcSekinger Hi,

1. It's an external library, so you have to install it like this: http://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/6743/how-to-install-externals-libraries-gui-plug-ins-etc/2
2. I use a different distribution of Pd called Pd-l2Ork (it's not pd-extended nor vanilla). Currently it's available only for Linux. See: http://l2ork.music.vt.edu/main/?page_id=56

Cheers,
Gilberto

@gsagostinho Many (many) thanks

2. I use a different distribution of Pd called Pd-l2Ork (it's not pd-extended nor vanilla). Currently it's available only for Linux.

You need to set this as your signature, Gilberto!

@LiamG I actually could indeed! But I like when people ask about it because that's good advertisement for Pd-l2Ork and probably makes more people try it out (and just to be clear, I have nothing to do with their development, I just simply love their program!).