_Added in 3.3_

*$rands(v1,v2)*

Returns a random number or letter between v1 and v2 using encryption and high entropy.

_See also [[$rand]], [[$r]]._

*Parameters*

table(ktable).
|*Parameter*|*Description*|
| v1 | Start number or letter [0-9A-Za-z]. |
| v2 | End number or letter [0-9A-Za-z]. |

if v1 and v2 are both numeric, returns random number in that range
otherwise returns a character in the range of characters v1 and v2

valid number range -2^63 through 2^63-1

*Example*

<pre>
; Get a random number between 10 and 100.
//echo -ag $rands(10,100)

; Get a random number between -10 and +10.
//echo -ag $rands(10,-10)

; Get a random letter between g and y.
//echo -ag $rands(g,y)

; Get a random character between A and z. Since 'A' is codepoint 65 and 'z' is codepoint 122, this includes non-alphanumeric codepoints 91-96 [\]^_`
//echo -ag $rands(A,z)

To obtain only the 52 case-insensitive characters: //echo -a $iif($rands(0,1),$rands(A,Z),$rands(a,z))

Numeric includes numbers at the beginning of strings.
//echo -a $rands(1X,4X) is the same as $rands(1,4)

Only 1st character of non-numeric string is used.
//echo -a $rands(AB,CD) is in the range A through C

No 'good' random number generator creates equal outcome of all numbers in the range, but they should be fairly close to the average
//hfree -w test | hmake test | var %i 100000 | while (%i) { hinc test $rands(1,100)) | dec %i } | var %i 1 , %a | while (%i isnum 1-100) { var %a %a %i $+ = $+ $hget(test,%i) | inc %i } | echo -a %a
</pre>