Re: dmbs_random AND Oracle

  DBMS_RANDOM is created by the ?/rdbms/admin/dbmsrand.sql script (Oracle8 only).

   This package contains programs: Initialize, Seed, Random, Terminate

  For more random number generation options, the cryptographic toolkit package
  (DBMS_CRYPTO_TOOLKIT) should be used. The DBMS_CRYPTO_TOOLKIT package is   created by dbmsoctk.sql

1. Installation (if necessary): As sys, execute dbmsoctk.sql, prvtoctk.plb, dbmsrand.sql

       SQL> exec dbms_random.initialize (2);
            begin dbms_random.initialize (2); end;

               *
       ERROR at line 1:
       ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
       PLS-00201: identifier 'DBMS_RANDOM.INITIALIZE' must be declared
       ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
       PL/SQL: Statement ignored


       SVRMGR> connect internal

               Connected.

       SVRMGR> @dbmsoctk.sql

               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.
               DROP PUBLIC SYNONYM dbms_crypto_toolkit
                      *
               ORA-01432: public synonym to be dropped does not exist
               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.

       SVRMGR> @prvtoctk.plb

               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.

       SVRMGR> @dbmsrand.sql

               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.
               DROP PUBLIC SYNONYM dbms_random
                      *
               ORA-01432: public synonym to be dropped does not exist
               Statement processed.
               Statement processed.

  2.  Initialize random number generator with seed.  The
      seed should be at least 5 digits according to the
      package comments to ensure randomness.

        Example:

          SQL> exec dbms_random.initialize (12345);

               PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

  3. Generate random number.

       Example 1:

          SQL> set serveroutput on

           SQL> declare
              2 random_number binary_integer;
              3 begin
              4 random_number := dbms_random.random;
              5 dbms_output.put_line(to_char(random_number));
              6 end;
              7  /

               2116177396

          PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

        Example 2: (from Oracle Cryptographic Toolkit
                   Programmer's Guide Rel 2.0.4)

           DECLARE
               i BINARY_INTEGER;
              BEGIN
               dbms_random.initialize(19254);
               i := dbms_random.random;
               INSERT INTO some_table VALUES(i);
              dbms_random.terminate;
           END;

  4. Terminate the random number generator to release memory.

        Example:

           SQL> exec dbms_random.terminate;

           PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

  5. Change the random number generator seed after initial

     initialization.

        Example:

           SQL> exec dbms_random.seed (12346);

           PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

  6. Warnings

        If dbms_random.terminate has been executed after
        dbms_random.random was successful, then subsequent
        executions of dbms_random.random may return neither
        a result or an error.  If dbms_random.random is run
        before executing dbms_random.initialize then an
        exception will be raise and "ORA-06510: PL/SQL:
        unhandled user-defined exception results if the
        exception is not handled in the pl/sql block.  It is
        not currently possible to use the return value of the
        random function directly in a SQL statement.

        Example:

           SQL> exec dbms_random.initialize (12345);

           PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

           SQL> insert into x values(dbms_random.random);
                insert into x values(dbms_random.random)
                        *
                ERROR at line 1:
                ORA-06571: Function RANDOM does not guarantee
                           not to update the database.

I hope this is of any help

Regards

Yass Khogaly
Senior Principal Consultant Core Technology Services Oracle Consulting
Oracle Corporation

"The Views expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of Oracle Corporation"

John Seitz <seitz_at_pobox.com> wrote in message news:B3sk3.1257$YU3.15970_at_newse3.tampabay.rr.com...
> I have looked everywhere for DBMS_RANDOM packet. I have Personal Oracle
> 8.04 and Oracle Enterprise 8.05, and I can't find the package.
>
> I have queried the all_objects view looking for anything than contains
> RANDOM in its name. I have used Toad to browse all the procedure and
> packages in all the users. Nothing.
>
> Am I smoking the pipe, or am I missing something?
>
> John Seitz
>
>
>
Received on Sun Jul 18 1999 - 21:11:24 CDT