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Thread: docs for random function

docs for random function

From
Sam Mason
Date:
Hi,

The docs for the function random() currently say:
 random value between 0.0 and 1.0, inclusive

this isn't a particularly useful invariant, what the code actually does
(and is commented as doing) is much more useful.  Any chance of changing
it to something like:

--- doc/src/sgml/func.sgml~     2009-06-17 22:58:49.000000000 +0100
+++ doc/src/sgml/func.sgml      2009-08-16 13:28:18.814767110 +0100
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@      <row>       <entry><literal><function>random</function>()</literal></entry>
<entry><type>dp</type></entry>
-       <entry>random value between 0.0 and 1.0, inclusive</entry>
+       <entry>random value in the range [0.0 - 1.0)</entry>       <entry><literal>random()</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>     </row>
 

or maybe something more readable to non-maths people?

--  Sam  http://samason.me.uk/

Re: docs for random function

From
Tom Lane
Date:
Sam Mason <sam@samason.me.uk> writes:
> The docs for the function random() currently say:
>   random value between 0.0 and 1.0, inclusive
> this isn't a particularly useful invariant, what the code actually does
> (and is commented as doing) is much more useful.  Any chance of changing
> it to something like:

Yeah, it looks like Bruce changed this back in 8.2 and failed to fix
the documentation to match.  I used this wording instead:

***************
*** 821,827 ****       <row>        <entry><literal><function>random</function>()</literal></entry>
<entry><type>dp</type></entry>
!        <entry>random value between 0.0 and 1.0, inclusive</entry>        <entry><literal>random()</literal></entry>
    <entry></entry>       </row>
 
--- 821,827 ----       <row>        <entry><literal><function>random</function>()</literal></entry>
<entry><type>dp</type></entry>
!        <entry>random value in the range 0.0 <= x < 1.0</entry>
<entry><literal>random()</literal></entry>       <entry></entry>       </row>
 

        regards, tom lane

Re: docs for random function

From
Sam Mason
Date:
On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 03:57:23PM -0400, Tom Lane wrote:
> Sam Mason <sam@samason.me.uk> writes:
> > The docs for the function random() currently say:
> >   random value between 0.0 and 1.0, inclusive
> 
> Yeah, it looks like Bruce changed this back in 8.2 and failed to fix
> the documentation to match.  I used this wording instead:
> 
> !        <entry>random value in the range 0.0 <= x < 1.0</entry>

Cool, that should be easier on people.

--  Sam  http://samason.me.uk/