[R] system time - windows specific problem

[Christophe Dutang]

Hi all,

I'm currently implementing quasi random generation (torus) on R  
(package randtoolbox available on CRAN). Even if it is not a great  
idea, I decided to use the machine time to initiate the seed. So when  
the seed is not specified by the user, the pkg uses the time machine  
time.
Hence the following R code should produce different uniform variates :

 > for(i in 1:10)print(torus(1))

But on windows, I get :
 > library(randtoolbox)
 > for(i in 1:10)print(torus(1))
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
[1] 0.1313116
 >

while on mac os, we get :
 > library(randtoolbox)
 > for(i in 1:10)print(torus(1))
[1] 0.9730577
[1] 0.9124289
[1] 0.5123534
[1] 0.4640765
[1] 0.9367557
[1] 0.2945414
[1] 0.3671455
[1] 0.2698379
[1] 0.6036739
[1] 0.6762776
 >

I think I know where the problem is. in the C file, randtoolbox.c, I  
use the machine time as follows
void randSetSeed()
{
         /* struct timeval {
                 unsigned long tv_sec; // seconds since Jan. 1, 1970
                 long tv_usec; // and microseconds  };
         */

         struct timeval tv;

         //take the machine time
         gettimeofday (&tv, NULL);

         // [ 2^16 * microsecond ] xor [ second ]
         seed = ((unsigned long long) tv.tv_usec << 16) ^ tv.tv_sec;

         isInit = 1;
}
and the C function randSetSeed is called. (in the header file, I  
include <sys/time.h>).
I think on windows there is no micro second precision and so the  
"randomize" seed is the same between two consecutive calls.

I try many things to deal with this problem (for example include  
<windows.h> and use windows specific time function), but it does not  
work. I'm asking for help on R mailing list because what solve on R  
for the runif function.

You could answer me to go to the R source. Of course, I look there my  
code is based on this code. But in the RNG.c file which implements  
random number generation. they use line 271-289

#include <time.h>
#ifdef HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
# include <sys/time.h>
#endif

static void Randomize(RNGtype kind)
{
/* Only called by  GetRNGstate() when there is no .Random.seed */
     Int32 seed;
#if HAVE_GETTIMEOFDAY
   {
     struct timeval tv;
     gettimeofday (&tv, NULL);
     seed = ((uint64_t) tv.tv_usec << 16) ^ tv.tv_sec;
   }
#elif HAVE_TIME
     seed = (Int32) time(NULL);
#else
     /* unlikely, but use random contents */
#endif
     srand(seed);

     RNG_Init(kind, seed);
}

If I try to use directly the time function on windows rather than  
gettimeofday (which should not be on windows) but it does not solve  
the problem.

I'm wondering how R has solved this issue?

That's where I'm asking for any help.

Thanks in advance

Christophe


PS : I use in both examples R 2.7.1 first on windows XP, second on mac  
os leopard.