FixedWidthInteger.random()

[xwu (Xiaodi Wu)]

See the following previous thread:

Rename `FixedWidthInteger._random()` to `FixedWidthInteger.random(in: UnboundedRange)`

On master branch, we have FixedWidthInteger._random() function for sampling random numbers from full range. I think we should have FixedWidthInteger.random(in: UnboundedRange) for this purpose. There is FixedWidthInteger.random(in: Range<Self>) function. So adding UnboundedRange version makes API more consistent. If someone misses _random(), he may use FixelWidthInteger.random(in: 0 ... .max). Not only it looks ugly, Range version is a bit slower than _random(). Having no underscored random l…

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@Nevin

If the fixed-width integer type is unsigned, then you can call rng.next() as T.

Is there a principled reason for not allowing this with signed types as well?

The general solution for filling any buffer with random bytes is mentioned in the thread linked above and has been pitched; it is to be re-pitched Any Day Now(TM).

@anon9791410

The arguments related to modulo bias, which I don't agree with, do not apply to .all, which should have come with Swift 4.2.

The spelling for an unbounded range is ..., so I don't see why it "should have" another spelling. It is absolutely intended that ... should be supported, and that it is not is an implementation shortcoming previously discussed in this thread.