UniqRandInt (VBA)

Thu, 14 May 2026 07:46:00 +0100

“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” [Mark Twain]

Abstract

Sometimes you need to create random integers without repetition (or with a limited number of repetitions).

Appendix – UniqRandInt Code

Please read my Disclaimer.

'If lRange >> n then set LATE_INITIALISATION to true. For example,
'if lRange=1,000,000 and if 1,000 cells are selected (n=1000).
#Const LATE_INITIALISATION = True
'If random integers may occur more than once, allow repetitions
#Const ALLOW_REPETITION = True

#If ALLOW_REPETITION Then
Function UniqRandInt(n As Long, ByVal lRange As Long, _
  Optional lMaxOccurence As Long = 1) As Variant
#Else
Function UniqRandInt(n As Long, ByVal lRange As Long) As Variant
#End If
'Returns n unique (=non-repeating) random integers within 1..lRange,
'lRange >= n. Set ALLOW_REPETITION = True and call with
'lMaxOccurences > 1 if random integers may occur more than once.
'Source (EN): http://www.sulprobil.com/uniqrandint_en/
'Source (DE): http://www.bplumhoff.de/uniqrandint_de/
'(C) (P) by Bernd Plumhoff 30-Oct-2024 PB V1.04

Static bRandomized As Boolean
Dim vA             As Variant
Dim vR             As Variant
Dim i              As Long
Dim j              As Long
Dim lr             As Long

If Not bRandomized Then
  Randomize
  bRandomized = True
End If

#If ALLOW_REPETITION Then
  If lMaxOccurence < 1 Then
    UniqRandInt = CVErr(xlErrNum)
    Exit Function
  End If
  lRange = lRange * lMaxOccurence
#End If

If n > lRange Then
  UniqRandInt = CVErr(xlErrValue)
  Exit Function
End If

ReDim vR(1 To n) As Variant

ReDim vA(1 To lRange)
#If Not LATE_INITIALISATION Then
  For i = 1 To lRange
    #If ALLOW_REPETITION Then
      vA(i) = Int((i - 1) / lMaxOccurence) + 1
    #Else
      vA(i) = i
    #End If
  Next i
#End If

i = 1
For j = 1 To UBound(vR, 1)
  lr = Int(((lRange - i + 1) * Rnd) + 1)
  #If LATE_INITIALISATION Then
    If vA(lr) = 0 Then
      #If ALLOW_REPETITION Then
        vR(j) = Int((lr - 1) / lMaxOccurence) + 1
      #Else
        vR(j) = lr
      #End If
    Else
  #End If
      vR(j) = vA(lr)
  #If LATE_INITIALISATION Then
    End If
    If vA(lRange - i + 1) = 0 Then
      #If ALLOW_REPETITION Then
        vA(lr) = Int((lRange - i + 1 - 1) / lMaxOccurence) + 1
      #Else
        vA(lr) = lRange - i + 1
      #End If
    Else
  #End If
      vA(lr) = vA(lRange - i + 1)
  #If LATE_INITIALISATION Then
    End If
  #End If
  i = i + 1
Next j

UniqRandInt = vR

End Function

Download

Please read my Disclaimer.

UniqRandInt on Sulprobil

UniqRandInt (VBA)

Abstract

Appendix – UniqRandInt Code

Download