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  <refentry id="function.rand">
   <refnamediv>
    <refname>rand</refname>
    <refpurpose>Generate a random integer</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
   <refsect1>
    <title>Description</title>
     <methodsynopsis>
      <type>int</type><methodname>rand</methodname>
      <methodparam choice="opt"><type>int</type><parameter>min</parameter></methodparam>
      <methodparam><type>int</type><parameter>max</parameter></methodparam>
     </methodsynopsis>
    <simpara>
     If called without the optional <parameter>min</parameter>,
     <parameter>max</parameter> arguments <function>rand</function>
     returns a pseudo-random integer between 0 and
     <constant>RAND_MAX</constant>.  If you want a random number
     between 5 and 15 (inclusive), for example, use <literal>rand (5,
     15)</literal>.
    </simpara>
    <para>
     <example>
      <title><function>rand</function> example</title>
      <programlisting role="php">
<![CDATA[
<?php
echo rand() . "\n";
echo rand() . "\n";

echo rand(5, 15);
?>
]]>
      </programlisting>
      &example.outputs.similar;
      <screen>
<![CDATA[
7771
22264
11
]]>
      </screen>
     </example>
    </para>
    <note>
     <simpara>
      On some platforms (such as Windows) <constant>RAND_MAX</constant>
      is only 32768.  If you require a range larger than 32768, specifying
      <parameter>min</parameter> and <parameter>max</parameter> will allow
      you to create a range larger than RAND_MAX, or consider using
      <function>mt_rand</function> instead.
     </simpara>
    </note>

    &note.randomseed;

    <note>
     <para>
      In versions before 3.0.7 the meaning of
      <parameter>max</parameter> was <parameter>range</parameter>. To
      get the same results in these versions the short example should
      be <literal>rand (5, 11)</literal> to get a random number
      between 5 and 15.
     </para>
    </note>
    <simpara>
     See also:
     <function>srand</function>,
     <function>getrandmax</function>, and
     <function>mt_rand</function>.
    </simpara>
   </refsect1>
  </refentry>

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