Random shuffle
The problem
Shuffling a list, i.e. creating a random permutation, is not easy to do correctly. Each permutation should have the same probability.
Imperative algorithm
The standard imperative algorithm can be implemented as follows:
{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
import System.Random
import Data.Array.IO
import Control.Monad
-- | Randomly shuffle a list
-- /O(N)/
shuffle :: forall a. [a] -> IO [a]
shuffle xs = do
let n = length xs
ar <- newListArray (1,n) xs :: IO (IOArray Int a)
forM [1..n] $ \i -> do
j <- randomRIO (i,n)
vi <- readArray ar i
vj <- readArray ar j
writeArray ar j vi
return vj
Or one can use ST to avoid needing IO:
-- | Randomly shuffle a list without the IO Monad
-- /O(N)/
shuffle' :: [a] -> StdGen -> ([a],StdGen)
shuffle' xs gen = runST (do
g <- newSTRef gen
let randomRST lohi = do
(a,s') <- liftM (randomR lohi) (readSTRef g)
writeSTRef g s'
return a
ar <- newArray n xs
xs' <- forM [1..n] $ \i -> do
j <- randomRST (i,n)
vi <- readArray ar i
vj <- readArray ar j
writeArray ar j vi
return vj
gen' <- readSTRef g
return (xs',gen'))
where
n = length xs
newArray :: Int -> [a] -> ST s (STArray s Int a)
newArray n xs = newListArray (1,n) xs
And if you are using IO's hidden StdGen you can wrap this as usual:
shuffleIO :: [a] -> IO [a]
shuffleIO xs = getStdRandom (shuffle' xs)
This is a lot simpler than the purely functional algorithm linked below.
Other implemenations
Purely functional
Drawing without replacement
- uses New_monads/MonadRandom
- allows you to not shuffle the entire list but only part of it (drawing elements without replacement)
- allows you to take multiple drawings/shufflings at once, which can save some array building
{- | @grabble xs m n@ is /O(m*n')/, where @n' = min n (length xs)@
Chooses @n@ elements from @xs@, without putting back,
and that @m@ times. -}
grabble :: MonadRandom m => [a] -> Int -> Int -> m [[a]]
grabble xs m n = do
swapss <- replicateM m $ forM [0 .. min (maxIx - 1) n] $ \i -> do
j <- getRandomR (i, maxIx)
return (i, j)
return $ map (take n . swapElems xs) swapss
where
maxIx = length xs - 1
grabbleOnce :: MonadRandom m => [a] -> Int -> m [a]
grabbleOnce xs n = head `liftM` grabble xs 1 n
swapElems :: [a] -> [(Int, Int)] -> [a]
swapElems xs swaps = elems $ runSTArray (do
arr <- newListArray (0, maxIx) xs
mapM_ (swap arr) swaps
return arr)
where
maxIx = length xs - 1
swap arr (i,j) = do
vi <- readArray arr i
vj <- readArray arr j
writeArray arr i vj
writeArray arr j vi
So e.g.
*Main MonadRandom Random> evalRand (grabble "abcdef" 6 3) (mkStdGen 0)
["fbd","efb","bef","adc","cef","eac"]
*Main MonadRandom Random> grabble "abcdef" 6 3
["fce","dfa","ebf","edb","cea","dbc"]
*Main MonadRandom Random> grabble "abcdef" 6 3
["cbf","dec","edb","fae","bda","cde"]