This will get a random record I hope you do not think the comments are patronising but you did say you are new so I did not want to give naked code.
import random #the above gives the program the ability to get a #pseudo random number file = open('test.rantxt') listcontents = file.readlines() #gives you the file as a list of records or it did on #(assuming each line is a record) file.close() lenoflist = len(listcontents)-1 #find the length of the list and take one of because computers count from 0
Yes, but len returns counting from 1. Anyway, you would have to add one to correct that anyway, wouldn't you? If randrange is start <= x *<=* end, then you don't have to add one, you just use the length. If randrange is start<= x < end like __builtin__ range, you have to put randrange(1,lenoflist+1)
x = random.randrange(0,lenoflist)
I would use randint because list indices need to be integers -- unless of course I mistaken and randrange returns an integer also. (But that would be repetitive to have to functions do the same thing)
print listcontents[x]
HTH, Jacob
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