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Browse - programming tips - perl shuffle an array

Date: 2009dec27
Language: perl

Q.  How can I shuffle (randomize) an array in perl?

A.  Here's a function that does it:

	sub fisher_yates_shuffle($)
	{
		my $array = shift;
		my $i;
	
		for ($i = @$array; --$i; )
		{
			my $j = int rand($i+1);
			next if $i == $j;
			@$array[$i,$j] = @$array[$j,$i];
		}
	}
	
	sub example_use()
	{
		my(@a) = qw(aaa bbb ccc ddd);
	
		fisher_yates_shuffle(\@a);
		
	}

Source: perl cookbook

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