GNU MP 6.1.0: Random State Initialization
Description: How to install and use the GNU multiple precision arithmetic library, version 6.1.0.

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### 9.1 Random State Initialization

Function: void gmp_randinit_default (gmp_randstate_t state)

  Initialize state with a default algorithm. This will be a compromise between speed and randomness, and is recommended for applications with no special requirements. Currently this is `gmp_randinit_mt`.

Function: void gmp_randinit_mt (gmp_randstate_t state)

  Initialize state for a Mersenne Twister algorithm. This algorithm is fast and has good randomness properties.

Function: void gmp_randinit_lc_2exp (gmp_randstate_t state, const mpz_t a, unsigned long c, mp_bitcnt_t m2exp)

  Initialize state with a linear congruential algorithm X = (a*X + c) mod 2^m2exp.

  The low bits of X in this algorithm are not very random. The least significant bit will have a period no more than 2, and the second bit no more than 4, etc. For this reason only the high half of each X is actually used.

  When a random number of more than m2exp/2 bits is to be generated, multiple iterations of the recurrence are used and the results concatenated.

Function: int gmp_randinit_lc_2exp_size (gmp_randstate_t state, mp_bitcnt_t size)

  Initialize state for a linear congruential algorithm as per `gmp_randinit_lc_2exp`. a, c and m2exp are selected from a table, chosen so that size bits (or more) of each X will be used, i.e. m2exp/2 >= size.

  If successful the return value is non-zero. If size is bigger than the table data provides then the return value is zero. The maximum size currently supported is 128.

Function: void gmp_randinit_set (gmp_randstate_t rop, gmp_randstate_t op)

  Initialize rop with a copy of the algorithm and state from op.

Function: void gmp_randinit (gmp_randstate_t state, gmp_randalg_t alg, …)

  This function is obsolete.

  Initialize state with an algorithm selected by alg. The only choice is `GMP_RAND_ALG_LC`, which is `gmp_randinit_lc_2exp_size` described above. A third parameter of type `unsigned long` is required, this is the size for that function. `GMP_RAND_ALG_DEFAULT` or 0 are the same as `GMP_RAND_ALG_LC`.

  `gmp_randinit` sets bits in the global variable `gmp_errno` to indicate an error. `GMP_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED_ARGUMENT` if alg is unsupported, or `GMP_ERROR_INVALID_ARGUMENT` if the size parameter is too big. It may be noted this error reporting is not thread safe (a good reason to use `gmp_randinit_lc_2exp_size` instead).

Function: void gmp_randclear (gmp_randstate_t state)

  Free all memory occupied by state.

Next: Random State Seeding, Previous: Random Number Functions, Up: Random Number Functions [Index]