SQL Server RAND Function

Updated 2023-10-18 15:26:43.480000

Description

Use the scalar function RAND to calculate a random number greater than or equal to zero and less than one.

Syntax

SELECT [westclintech].[wct].[RAND] ()

Arguments

Return Type

float

Remarks

Unlike the built-in SQL Server RAND function, RAND is evaluated for every row in the resultant table.

Examples

Compare the SQL Server RAND() function to the XLeratorDB RAND() function.

with mycte as
(
      select 1 as seq
      union all
      select seq + 1
      from mycte
      where seq < 15
)
      select seq
      ,rand() as [SQL Server RAND]
      ,wct.rand() as [XLDB RAND]
      from mycte;

Here is the result set (your results will be different).

seq	SQL Server RAND	XLDB RAND
1	0.717683577913778	0.320075967691334
2	0.717683577913778	0.242518944291069
3	0.717683577913778	0.939540304240701
4	0.717683577913778	0.995485696135315
5	0.717683577913778	0.390991905650971
6	0.717683577913778	0.847310724479799
7	0.717683577913778	0.0338573758405467
8	0.717683577913778	0.162934983399244
9	0.717683577913778	0.407146586492377
10	0.717683577913778	0.186449045740706
11	0.717683577913778	0.252528679920915
12	0.717683577913778	0.942039038585549
13	0.717683577913778	0.857604925612895
14	0.717683577913778	0.957765087979192
15	0.717683577913778	0.442119654211433