Get-Random

Syntax

Get-Random
   [[-Maximum] <Object>]
   [-SetSeed <Int32>]
   [-Minimum <Object>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Get-Random
   [-InputObject] <Object[]>
   [-SetSeed <Int32>]
   [-Count <Int32>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-Random cmdlet gets a randomly selected number. If you submit a collection of objects to Get-Random , it gets one or more randomly selected objects from the collection.

Without parameters or input, a Get-Random command returns a randomly selected 32-bit unsigned integer between 0 (zero) and Int32.MaxValue (0x7FFFFFFF, 2,147,483,647).

You can use the parameters of Get-Random to specify a seed number, minimum and maximum values, and the number of objects returned from a submitted collection.

Examples

Example 1: Get a random integer

PS C:\> Get-Random

3951433

This command gets a random integer between 0 (zero) and Int32.MaxValue.

Example 2: Get a random integer between 0 and 99

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

47

This command gets a random integer between 0 (zero) and 99.

Example 3: Get a random integer between -100 and 99

PS C:\> Get-Random -Minimum -100 -Maximum 100

56

This command gets a random integer between -100 and 99.

Example 4: Get a random floating-point number

PS C:\> Get-Random -Minimum 10.7 -Maximum 20.93

18.08467273887

This command gets a random floating-point number greater than or equal to 10.7 and less than 20.92.

Example 5: Get a random integer from an array

PS C:\> Get-Random -InputObject 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13

8

This command gets a randomly selected number from the specified array.

Example 6: Get several random integers from an array

PS C:\> Get-Random -InputObject 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 -Count 3

3

1

13

This command gets three randomly selected numbers in random order from an array.

Example 7:

PS C:\> Get-Random -InputObject 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 -Count ([int]::MaxValue)

2

3

5

1

8

13

This command returns the entire collection in random order. The value of the Count parameter is the MaxValue static property of integers.

To return an entire collection in random order, enter any number that is greater than or equal to the number of objects in the collection.

Example 8: Get a random non-numeric value

PS C:\> Get-Random -InputObject "red", "yellow", "blue"

yellow

This command returns a random value from a non-numeric collection.

Example 9: Get a random process

PS C:\> Get-Process | Get-Random

Handles  NPM(K)    PM(K)      WS(K) VM(M)   CPU(s)     Id ProcessName

-------  ------    -----      ----- -----   ------     -- -----------

144           4     2080        488    36     0.48   3164 wmiprvse

This command gets a randomly selected process from the collection of processes on the computer.

Example 10: Run commands on remote computers in random order

PS C:\> Get-Content Servers.txt | Get-Random -Count (Get-Content Servers.txt).Count | foreach {Invoke-Command -ComputerName $_ -Command 'Get-Process PowerShell'}

This command runs a command on a series of remote computers in random order.

Example 11: Use the SetSeed parameter

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23



# Commands with the default seed are pseudorandom



PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

59

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

65

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

21



# Commands with the same seed are not random



PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23

74

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23

74

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23

74



# SetSeed results in a repeatable series



PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23

74

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

56

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

84

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

46

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100 -SetSeed 23

74

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

56

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

84

PS C:\> Get-Random -Maximum 100

46

This example shows the effect of using the SetSeed parameter. Because SetSeed produces non-random behavior, it is typically used only to reproduce results, such as when debugging or analyzing a script.

Example 12: Get random files

PS C:\> $Files = dir -Path C:\* -Recurse

PS C:\> $Sample = $Files | Get-Random -Count 50

These commands get a randomly selected sample of 50 files from the C: drive of the local computer.

Example 13: Get a random integer less than 10001

PS C:\> Get-Random 10001

7600

This command gets a random integer less than 10001. Because the Maximum parameter has position 0, you can omit the parameter name when the value is the first or only unnamed parameter in the command.

Example 14: Get random 64-bit numbers

PS C:\> Get-Random -Minimum ([Int64]::MinValue)3738173363251507200

PS C:\> Get-Random -Minimum ([Int32]::MaxValue)

Minimum (2147483647) cannot be greater than or equal to Maximum (2147483647).

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-Random], ArgumentException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MinGreaterThanOrEqualMax,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetRandomCommand

These commands attempt to get randomly generated 64-bit numbers.

The first command succeeds, but the second command fails. When the value of Minimum is a 32-bit integer, the default value of Maximum is Int32.MaxValues. The command fails because the value of Maximum must be greater than the value of Minimum .

Required Parameters

Optional Parameters

Inputs

System.Object

You can pipe one or more objects to Get-Random . Get-Random selects values randomly from the piped objects.

Outputs

System.Int32, System.Int64, System.Double

Get-Random returns an integer or floating-point number, or an object selected randomly from a submitted collection.

Notes

• Get-Random sets a default seed for each session based on the system time clock when the session starts.
• Beginning in Windows PowerShell 3.0, Get-Random supports 64-bit integers. In Windows PowerShell 2.0, all values are cast to System.Int32.

RELATED LINKS