dneary@xxxxxxxxxx (2002-11-21 at 1459.36 +0100): > The gimp_random_seed_new() function currently creates a > spinbutton for the seed, and a togglebutton for whether a Time > seed should be used. With the change over to g_rand* () the > default seeding (which is from /dev/urandom by default, and time > if that fails) is much better, so Time os probably no longer > appropriate as a label. But that's superficial. Change the label to New Random Seed or something like that. It could be: Current Seed: _78928___^v |New Random Seed| I keep the spin button so people can just use a simple approach, start with one value (via the button or manual input) and test consecutive numbers, thus allowing going back to a nicer result you got four clicks ago, for example. > The real change would be to do away with the toggle, replace the > toggle button with a normal button, and set a random seed in the > spin-box when the button is pressed. For this, I've been using Yep, nice for experiments. The ascii art above uses plain button, not toggle, as you recommend. > the global PRNG (g_random_int) rather than setting up what would be > a short-lived GRand * object, but again that would be a trivial > change. > > After that the only thing left to do is "intelligent" default > seeding. Do we seed with 0 as the default, and use the same seed > as the last time if "run with last vals" is used for a plug-in? > Should the gimp_random_seed_new() function set a random seed when > called? Or do we seed with a random number to start? Currently > the setting of an initial seed is entirely the plug-ins > responsibility. I propose we leave it that way. The "run with > last vals" should use, imho, the same seed value. This can, of > course, be modified from plug-in to plug-in, but I think it's a > sane behaviour. Only things I see as important is being able to reproduce the same results as many times as needed, thus "last vals" should be a run again, no changes at all. The other thing, the value for first run or new seeds, do whatever you want, seed with a random number from a highly random source or use time, I do not think anybody will have problems with not so random things in images (anybody so weird to do crypto with gimp?). If it looks random, it should be enough. > Also, once the behaviour is decided, we should use the random > seed widget across more plug-ins. Several plug-ins currently do > their own thing in this respect, and there's no real need for it. Yes, you will make some people happy, specially about the rerun part. GSR
