Re: [Boost-users] boost::random: get same number sequences 32/64 bit?

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] boost::random: get same number sequences 32/64 bit?
From: Sebastian Mach (phresnel_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-02-01 01:27:50

> Sebastian Mach wrote:
>
> Are you using the same version of Boost for both?
> There were a bunch of bug fixes in uniform_int a few releases
> ago, which change the exact sequence produced.
>
> In Christ,
> Steven Watanabe
>
>

Hello Steven,

This was indeed the problem. The one box had boost 1.35 installed, the
other one 1.41. Thanks for that hint.

I guess this is a) not the right place and b) the interest is probably
low (and let it be because it's not in the consciousness of many
people):
 * I realized that just replacing uniform_int.hpp with the older
version (that is, in a project local directory) and renaming
components was not easily possible
 * hence it might be hard in the future to trust boost::random in the
little corner where I really need portable random number sequences (as
users will literally work with seeds)
 * thus, I (and maybe some other persons) would love if, as with
spirit::classic, backwards compatibility could be provided somehow,
either via a typedef, a #define, or in the future with inline
namespaces

Of course, if there is already a way that "guarantees" (not as in
law), I would be happy (after all, I am already happy to have a small
regression test generator which initially showed me the problem; if
there is interest, it is at
http://gitorious.org/picogen/picogen/trees/master/trunk/kallisto/test
:) ). Otherwise, I must really stick to hand written RNGs, which are
less portable in code, but more portable in sequences, as no RNG-lib I
know seems go have this kind of portability as a guideline.

Many thanks for your help so far,

Sebastian Mach
phresnel_at_[hidden]