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classification
Title: random.random() generating values >= 1.0
Type: behavior Stage: resolved
Components: macOS Versions: Python 2.7
process
Status: closed Resolution: duplicate
Dependencies: Superseder: Value returned by random.random() out of valid range on 64-bit
View: 14591
Assigned To: Nosy List: klankschap, peter.otten, r.david.murray, rhettinger, ronaldoussoren, skrah
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2013-01-23 17:32 by klankschap, last changed 2022-04-11 14:57 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Messages (17)
msg180480 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-23 17:32
I recently noticed that the standard random() function generates values >= 1.0

As processes are called from an event scheduler, each process has its own Random() instance.

    self.random = random.Random(seed)
    self.randomState = self.random.getstate()



keeping track of multiple objects:

    self.random.setstate(self.randomState)
    self.random.jumpahead(1)
    self.randomState = self.random.getstate()


Also gammavariate() generates errors as it too makes use of the _random() call

A workaround is to check each response of random() for values >= 1.0
msg180482 - (view) Author: R. David Murray (r.david.murray) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-23 18:00
Can you post a small program that demonstrates the problem?  I'm certainly not seeing a problem just calling random.random() (and would be very surprised if I did).
msg180483 - (view) Author: Peter Otten (peter.otten) * Date: 2013-01-23 18:09
This could be a duplicate of issue14591.
msg180486 - (view) Author: R. David Murray (r.david.murray) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-23 18:18
That indeed looks likely.  Fortunately there will be a new release of 2.7 including that fix soon.

Floris, do you have any way to test against 2.7 tip?
msg180487 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-23 18:43
On 23 Jan 2013, at 19:18, R. David Murray wrote:

> 
> R. David Murray added the comment:
> 
> That indeed looks likely.  Fortunately there will be a new release of 2.7 including that fix soon.
> 
> Floris, do you have any way to test against 2.7 tip?

using 2.7.3 as well as pypy (based on 2.7.3) via macport.
pypy version suffers from the same issue.

i'm not (yet) familiar how to get the tip from 2.7.3
hint?

.F
msg180488 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-23 18:46
indeed, looks like the same.
.F

On 23 Jan 2013, at 19:09, Peter Otten wrote:

> 
> Peter Otten added the comment:
> 
> This could be a duplicate of issue14591.
> 
> ----------
> nosy: +peter.otten
> 
> _______________________________________
> Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
> <http://bugs.python.org/issue17020>
> _______________________________________
msg180495 - (view) Author: R. David Murray (r.david.murray) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-23 19:17
hg pull http://hg.python.org/cpython
hg up 2.7

There are also git and bzr mirrors, but I don't know their urls or how up to date they are.

We could also just close this as a dup if you are pretty sure its the same problem (which it certainly sounds like it is) and you could post to that issue if your problem isn't solved by the RC for 2.7.4.
msg180553 - (view) Author: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-25 05:24
Can you show how you determined that you got a value >= 1.0 or provide a seed that reproduces the problem?

I'm not seeing an issue on the 2.7.3 64-bit Mac build:

>>> from itertools import starmap, repeat
>>> from random import random, seed
>>> seed(56019413053459019451450201)
>>> for i in range(20):
	print max(starmap(random, repeat((), 10000000)))

	
0.999999787916
0.999999859769
0.999999809486
0.99999968575
0.999999886565
0.999999991274
0.999999886922
0.999999874948
0.999999987989
0.999999751067
0.999999999353
0.999999935037
0.999999919091
0.999999664265
0.999999951016
0.999999998665
0.999999919618
0.999999786864
0.999999874042
0.999999967453
msg180555 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-25 07:17
It is in the combination with jumpahead(), getstate(), setstate() that you'll experience random() to produce values >= 1.0

.F

On 25 Jan 2013, at 06:24, Raymond Hettinger wrote:

> 
> Raymond Hettinger added the comment:
> 
> Can you show how you determined that you got a value >= 1.0 or provide a seed that reproduces the problem?
> 
> I'm not seeing an issue on the 2.7.3 64-bit Mac build:
> 
>>>> from itertools import starmap, repeat
>>>> from random import random, seed
>>>> seed(56019413053459019451450201)
>>>> for i in range(20):
> 	print max(starmap(random, repeat((), 10000000)))
> 
> 	
> 0.999999787916
> 0.999999859769
> 0.999999809486
> 0.99999968575
> 0.999999886565
> 0.999999991274
> 0.999999886922
> 0.999999874948
> 0.999999987989
> 0.999999751067
> 0.999999999353
> 0.999999935037
> 0.999999919091
> 0.999999664265
> 0.999999951016
> 0.999999998665
> 0.999999919618
> 0.999999786864
> 0.999999874042
> 0.999999967453
> 
> ----------
> nosy: +rhettinger
> 
> _______________________________________
> Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
> <http://bugs.python.org/issue17020>
> _______________________________________
msg180562 - (view) Author: Stefan Krah (skrah) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-25 10:07
> It is in the combination with jumpahead(), getstate(), setstate() that you'll experience random() to produce values >= 1.0

Let me reiterate what David said: Can you post a self-contained program
that exhibits the issue?
msg180603 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-25 18:16
On 25 Jan 2013, at 11:07, Stefan Krah wrote:

> 
> Stefan Krah added the comment:
> 
>> It is in the combination with jumpahead(), getstate(), setstate() that you'll experience random() to produce values >= 1.0
> 
> Let me reiterate what David said: Can you post a self-contained program
> that exhibits the issue?

My program is sort of complex in the meaning of multiple processes interleaving and interacting via a priorityqueue.
Each individual steps through multiple classes which all should stay independent.
No simple short snippet.
From what i understand is that issue14591 was able to reproduce the same feature as it seems related to the jumpahead()  malfunctioning.

.F
msg180604 - (view) Author: Stefan Krah (skrah) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-25 18:35
Floris van Manen <report@bugs.python.org> wrote:
> From what i understand is that issue14591 was able to reproduce the same feature as it seems related to the jumpahead()  malfunctioning.

I'm also quite sure that it's the same issue. It would be nice to have
confirmation though. If you have the opportunity to compile the tip of
the 2.7 branch (where #14591 is fixed), get one of these:

http://hg.python.org/cpython/archive/864b9836dae6.tar.gz
http://hg.python.org/cpython/archive/864b9836dae6.zip
msg180616 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-25 19:42
On 25 Jan 2013, at 19:35, Stefan Krah wrote:

> 
> Stefan Krah added the comment:
> 
> Floris van Manen <report@bugs.python.org> wrote:
>> From what i understand is that issue14591 was able to reproduce the same feature as it seems related to the jumpahead()  malfunctioning.
> 
> I'm also quite sure that it's the same issue. It would be nice to have
> confirmation though. If you have the opportunity to compile the tip of
> the 2.7 branch (where #14591 is fixed), get one of these:
> 
> http://hg.python.org/cpython/archive/864b9836dae6.tar.gz
> http://hg.python.org/cpython/archive/864b9836dae6.zip
> 

Did compile that version and it launches.
To test with my code i do not want to have it interfere with my current version.
I remember it is possible to setup n isolated environment with pip en virtualenv.
But i never did this so far.
Any hints / links to (simple) script explanation that could do the job?
Or is there an even simpler way?

.F
msg180626 - (view) Author: Stefan Krah (skrah) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-25 21:27
Floris van Manen <report@bugs.python.org> wrote:
> Did compile that version and it launches.
> To test with my code i do not want to have it interfere with my current version.
> I remember it is possible to setup n isolated environment with pip en virtualenv.
> But i never did this so far.
> Any hints / links to (simple) script explanation that could do the job?
> Or is there an even simpler way?

I wouldn't bother with virtualenvs yet. First I'd simply install python
into /tmp:

mkdir /tmp/usr
./configure --prefix=/tmp/usr/
make
make install

Then always call python with the full path. If your app is a simple
script, then:

/tmp/usr/bin/python app.py

If you have to install it:

/tmp/usr/bin/python setup.py install
msg180628 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-25 21:51
On 25 Jan 2013, at 22:27, Stefan Krah wrote:

> Then always call python with the full path. If your app is a simple
> script, then:
> 
> /tmp/usr/bin/python app.py

ok.
and how do i add extra packages to that new python version ?
e.g. i need to install
pyyam and openpyxll

(sorry for the inconvenience)
.F
msg180631 - (view) Author: Floris van Manen (klankschap) Date: 2013-01-25 22:06
On 25 Jan 2013, at 22:27, Stefan Krah wrote:

> Then always call python with the full path. If your app is a simple
> script, t

ok, managed to install the extra packages and run the app.
Seems to work correctly now, no more random() >= 1.0

(thanks!)
.F
msg180632 - (view) Author: R. David Murray (r.david.murray) * (Python committer) Date: 2013-01-25 22:11
Excellent.  Thanks for testing.  And thanks for pointing out the duplicate, Peter.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:57:40adminsetgithub: 61222
2013-01-25 22:11:35r.david.murraysetstatus: open -> closed

type: compile error -> behavior
assignee: ronaldoussoren ->
messages: + msg180632
superseder: Value returned by random.random() out of valid range on 64-bit
resolution: duplicate
stage: resolved
2013-01-25 22:06:39klankschapsetmessages: + msg180631
2013-01-25 21:51:13klankschapsetmessages: + msg180628
2013-01-25 21:27:52skrahsetmessages: + msg180626
2013-01-25 19:42:39klankschapsetmessages: + msg180616
2013-01-25 18:35:56skrahsetmessages: + msg180604
2013-01-25 18:16:57klankschapsetmessages: + msg180603
2013-01-25 10:07:46skrahsetnosy: + skrah
messages: + msg180562
2013-01-25 07:17:13klankschapsetmessages: + msg180555
2013-01-25 05:24:29rhettingersetnosy: + rhettinger
messages: + msg180553
2013-01-23 19:17:58r.david.murraysetmessages: + msg180495
2013-01-23 18:46:45klankschapsetmessages: + msg180488
2013-01-23 18:43:34klankschapsetmessages: + msg180487
2013-01-23 18:18:28r.david.murraysetmessages: + msg180486
2013-01-23 18:09:49peter.ottensetnosy: + peter.otten
messages: + msg180483
2013-01-23 18:00:13r.david.murraysetnosy: + r.david.murray
messages: + msg180482
2013-01-23 17:32:12klankschapcreate