#82 Training against a database: Random move not working on Linux

[Thomas Gnielka]

Hi,
whenever you start scidvspc, open a database, open the tree window and push the "train" button you get always the same moves. The random number/move generator is not working on linux. (scid 4.26).
On Windows it seems to work.

[Steven]

Hmmm... Seems to work for me, though computers are bad at random numbers.

But it's probably weighted random. Maybe pure random move would be more desirable?

[Thomas Gnielka]

Did you try it a couple of times? When I delete the .scidvspc directory I get at the first and the second time a different variation. To test that you need to close scidvspc and start it again at least times.

Maybe it was a misunderstanding. When you just restart the training you get different variations. But when you close scidvspc and start it again, you get the same openings in exact the same order.
I get when startig with e2e4: sicilian, aliekhin, ruy lopez ....
Every time the exact openngs and moves.

But you have to start and close the program at least three times.

I think, the weighted random is what is most interesting. A workaround what be to build a opening file but I cant find polyglot anymore.

[Steven]

Maybe it was a misunderstanding. When you just restart the training you get different variations. But when you close scidvspc and start it again, you get the same openings in exact the same order.

I think you may be right.
I will commit this change to svn

Index: src/tkscid.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/tkscid.cpp      (revision 3586)
+++ src/tkscid.cpp      (working copy)
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@
     scratchPos = new Position;
     scratchGame = new Game;
     db = &(dbList[currentBase]);
+    srandom32 (time(NULL)); // Seed rand num gen. Only used by tree training ? - S.A.

 #ifndef TCL_ONLY
 #ifndef __APPLE__

I thing, the weighted random is what is most interesting. A workaround what be to build a opening file but I cant find polyglot anymore.

Maybe this is what you want ?
https://sourceforge.net/projects/scidvspc/files/support%20files/polyglot1.5.zip/download