Random integer in VB.NET

As has been pointed out many times, the suggestion to write code like this is problematic:

Public Function GetRandom(ByVal Min As Integer, ByVal Max As Integer) As Integer
    Dim Generator As System.Random = New System.Random()
    Return Generator.Next(Min, Max)
End Function

The reason is that the constructor for the Random class provides a default seed based on the system's clock. On most systems, this has limited granularity -- somewhere in the vicinity of 20 ms. So if you write the following code, you're going to get the same number a bunch of times in a row:

Dim randoms(1000) As Integer
For i As Integer = 0 to randoms.Length - 1
    randoms(i) = GetRandom(1, 100)
Next

The following code addresses this issue:

Public Function GetRandom(ByVal Min As Integer, ByVal Max As Integer) As Integer
    ' by making Generator static, we preserve the same instance '
    ' (i.e., do not create new instances with the same seed over and over) '
    ' between calls '
    Static Generator As System.Random = New System.Random()
    Return Generator.Next(Min, Max)
End Function

I threw together a simple program using both methods to generate 25 random integers between 1 and 100. Here's the output:

Non-static: 70 Static: 70
Non-static: 70 Static: 46
Non-static: 70 Static: 58
Non-static: 70 Static: 19
Non-static: 70 Static: 79
Non-static: 70 Static: 24
Non-static: 70 Static: 14
Non-static: 70 Static: 46
Non-static: 70 Static: 82
Non-static: 70 Static: 31
Non-static: 70 Static: 25
Non-static: 70 Static: 8
Non-static: 70 Static: 76
Non-static: 70 Static: 74
Non-static: 70 Static: 84
Non-static: 70 Static: 39
Non-static: 70 Static: 30
Non-static: 70 Static: 55
Non-static: 70 Static: 49
Non-static: 70 Static: 21
Non-static: 70 Static: 99
Non-static: 70 Static: 15
Non-static: 70 Static: 83
Non-static: 70 Static: 26
Non-static: 70 Static: 16
Non-static: 70 Static: 75

To get a random integer value between 1 and N (inclusive) you can use the following.

CInt(Math.Ceiling(Rnd() * n)) + 1

Use System.Random:

Dim MyMin As Integer = 1, MyMax As Integer = 5, My1stRandomNumber As Integer, My2ndRandomNumber As Integer

' Create a random number generator
Dim Generator As System.Random = New System.Random()

' Get a random number >= MyMin and <= MyMax
My1stRandomNumber = Generator.Next(MyMin, MyMax + 1) ' Note: Next function returns numbers _less than_ max, so pass in max + 1 to include max as a possible value

' Get another random number (don't create a new generator, use the same one)
My2ndRandomNumber = Generator.Next(MyMin, MyMax + 1)

Microsoft Example Rnd Function

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/f7s023d2%28v=vs.90%29.aspx

1- Initialize the random-number generator.

Randomize()

2 - Generate random value between 1 and 6.

Dim value As Integer = CInt(Int((6 * Rnd()) + 1))

Public Function RandomNumber(ByVal n As Integer) As Integer
    'initialize random number generator
    Dim r As New Random(System.DateTime.Now.Millisecond)
    Return r.Next(1, n)
End Function

Random integer in VB.NET

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