text: We often need to use a randomly generated number for certain situations; using Math.random() * n will usually do the trick, but it will only calculate a number from 0 to n. What if we need a number that doesn't give 0 as the minimum value? How can you generate a random number between 100 and 1000? I'll show you how to do it in this Quick Tip.
  Final Result
  This example demonstrates the function we'll be creating:
  Input two numbers separated by a ',' and press the random button.
  Step 1: Brief Overview
  Using a function created in ActionScript 3, we will calculate a number between two values. These values will be passed as parameters and used with the Math class to generate a random number.
  Step 2: Create a New File
  Open Flash and create a new Flash File (ActionScript 3.0).
  Step 3: Open the Actions Panel
  Press Option + F9 or go to Window > Actions to open the Actions Panel.
  Step 4: Function Declaration
  Declare a Function and name it randomRange; this function will return the random number, so set the return type to Number.
  function randomRange():Number {
  Step 5: Set Parameters
  Two parameters will be used to calculate the number.
  - minNum: The minimum value to return
  - maxNum: The maximum value to return
  function randomRange(minNum:Number, maxNum:Number):Number {
  Step 6: Write the Main Function
  This is the function with the actual random number generator line. The power of Math is used to generate the number.
  function randomRange(minNum:Number, maxNum:Number):Number { return (Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxNum - minNum + 1)) + minNum); }
  Step 7: How it Works
  We have our random number generator function, but what does this function do?
  Take a look at the following image to get a better idea:
  In the image's example, if Math.random() was less than 0.5, the result would be 550.
  Step 8: Test with a Trace
  A simple way to test the function is to use a trace() function. See the code below:
  function randomRange(minNum:Number, maxNum:Number):Number { return (Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxNum - minNum + 1)) + minNum); } trace(randomRange(10, 20)); //A number between 10 and 20
  Step 9: Example
  This is a working example, it uses a button to calculate the number and display it in a TextField.
  /* The randomRange function */ function randomRange(minNum:Number, maxNum:Number):Number { return (Math.floor(Math.random() * (maxNum - minNum + 1)) + minNum); } /* The actions that will perform when the button is pressed */ function buttonAction(e:MouseEvent):void { //An array will store the numbers in the textfield var n:Array = inputText.text.split(","); //Calculate the number based on the input, convert the result to a string //and send that string to the textfield generatedNumber.text = String(randomRange(n[0], n[1])); } //Add button's event listener actionButton.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, buttonAction);
  Input two numbers separated by a ',' and press the random button.
  Conclusion
  This is a basic example of how you can use this function; experiment and use it in your own projects!
  Thanks for reading!
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