Random String Generator Returning Same String [dup

Question

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Random number generator only generating one random number (9 answers)

Closed 4 years ago.

I've developed a random string generator but it's not behaving quite as I'm hoping. My goal is to be able to run this twice and generate two distinct four character random strings. However, it just generates one four character random string twice.

Here's the code and an example of its output:

private string RandomString(int size)
{
    StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
    Random random = new Random();
    char ch;
    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
    {
        ch = Convert.ToChar(Convert.ToInt32(Math.Floor(26 * random.NextDouble() + 65)));                 
        builder.Append(ch);
    }

    return builder.ToString();
}

// get 1st random string 
string Rand1 = RandomString(4);

// get 2nd random string 
string Rand2 = RandomString(4);

// create full rand string
string docNum = Rand1 + "-" + Rand2;

...and the output looks like this: UNTE-UNTE ...but it should look something like this UNTE-FWNU

How can I ensure two distinctly random strings?

Answer 1

You're instantiating the Random object inside your method.

The Random object is seeded from the system clock, which means that if you call your method several times in quick succession it'll use the same seed each time, which means that it'll generate the same sequence of random numbers, which means that you'll get the same string.

To solve the problem, move your Random instance outside of the method itself (and while you're at it you could get rid of that crazy sequence of calls to Convert and Floor and NextDouble):

private readonly Random _rng = new Random();
private const string _chars = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";

private string RandomString(int size)
{
    char[] buffer = new char[size];

    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
    {
        buffer[i] = _chars[_rng.Next(_chars.Length)];
    }
    return new string(buffer);
}

Answer 2

You should have one class-level Random object initiated once in the constructor and reused on each call (this continues the same sequence of pseudo-random numbers). The parameterless constructor already seeds the generator with Environment.TickCount internally.

Answer 3

You're making the Random instance in the method, which causes it to return the same values when called in quick succession. I would do something like this:

private static Random random = new Random((int)DateTime.Now.Ticks);//thanks to McAden
private string RandomString(int size)
    {
        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
        char ch;
        for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        {
            ch = Convert.ToChar(Convert.ToInt32(Math.Floor(26 * random.NextDouble() + 65)));                 
            builder.Append(ch);
        }

        return builder.ToString();
    }

// get 1st random string 
string Rand1 = RandomString(4);

// get 2nd random string 
string Rand2 = RandomString(4);

// creat full rand string
string docNum = Rand1 + "-" + Rand2;

(modified version of your code)

Answer 4

A LINQ one-liner for good measure (assuming a private static Random Random)...

public static string RandomString(int length)
{
    return new string(Enumerable.Range(0, length).Select(_ => (char)Random.Next('a', 'z')).ToArray());
}

Answer 5

//A very Simple implementation

using System.IO;   
public static string RandomStr()

{
    string rStr = Path.GetRandomFileName();
    rStr = rStr.Replace(".", ""); // For Removing the .
    return rStr;
}

//Now just call RandomStr() Method

Answer 6

I created this method.

It works great.

public static string GeneratePassword(int Lenght, int NonAlphaNumericChars)
    {
        string allowedChars = "abcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789";
        string allowedNonAlphaNum = "!@#$%^&*()_-+=[{]};:<>|./?";
        Random rd = new Random();

        if (NonAlphaNumericChars > Lenght || Lenght <= 0 || NonAlphaNumericChars < 0)
            throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException();

            char[] pass = new char[Lenght];
            int[] pos = new int[Lenght];
            int i = 0, j = 0, temp = 0;
            bool flag = false;

            //Random the position values of the pos array for the string Pass
            while (i < Lenght - 1)
            {
                j = 0;
                flag = false;
                temp = rd.Next(0, Lenght);
                for (j = 0; j < Lenght; j++)
                    if (temp == pos[j])
                    {
                        flag = true;
                        j = Lenght;
                    }

                if (!flag)
                {
                    pos[i] = temp;
                    i++;
                }
            }

            //Random the AlphaNumericChars
            for (i = 0; i < Lenght - NonAlphaNumericChars; i++)
                pass[i] = allowedChars[rd.Next(0, allowedChars.Length)];

            //Random the NonAlphaNumericChars
            for (i = Lenght - NonAlphaNumericChars; i < Lenght; i++)
                pass[i] = allowedNonAlphaNum[rd.Next(0, allowedNonAlphaNum.Length)];

            //Set the sorted array values by the pos array for the rigth posistion
            char[] sorted = new char[Lenght];
            for (i = 0; i < Lenght; i++)
                sorted[i] = pass[pos[i]];

            string Pass = new String(sorted);

            return Pass;
    }