you can do something like this

SET TERM ^ ;
ALTER PROCEDURE GET_RANDOM_FORTUNE
RETURNS (
FORTUNE Varchar(1000) )
AS
num integer;
BEGIN

SELECT count(*)
FROM FORTUNE
INTO :num;

num = rand() * num;

for SELECT FIRST (:num) FORTUNE
FROM FORTUNE
ORDER BY fortune
INTO :FORTUNE;
do
begin
end
SUSPEND;

END^
SET TERM ; ^

On 07/12/2007, weiwufeng <blackspace@...> wrote:
>
> I want to use rand() function to get a random row from a FORTUNE table.But I always get same a row when I reconnect to my database.
> The function description tell me:"Note the random number generator is seeded using the current time."
> Why I always get same row? How I change the seed?
>
> It is Firebird-2.0.3.12981-1-Win32.exe that I use.
>
> /*****************************************
> *
> * r a n d
> *
> *****************************************
> *
> * Functional description:
> * Returns a random number between 0
> * and 1. Note the random number
> * generator is seeded using the current
> * time.
> *
> *****************************************/
> DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION rand
> RETURNS DOUBLE PRECISION BY VALUE
> ENTRY_POINT 'IB_UDF_rand' MODULE_NAME 'ib_udf';
>
>
> SET TERM ^ ;
> ALTER PROCEDURE GET_RANDOM_FORTUNE
> RETURNS (
> FORTUNE Varchar(1000) )
> AS
> BEGIN
> SELECT FIRST 1 FORTUNE
> FROM FORTUNE
> ORDER BY rand()
> INTO :FORTUNE;
> SUSPEND;
>
> END^
> SET TERM ; ^
>
>
> --
> weiwufeng <blackspace@...>
>
>
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
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> on the main (top) menu. Try Knowledgebase and FAQ links !
>
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>
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>
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>