# ranlin — Choose a random line from a text file

Implemented using an elegant algorithm, originally stolen from the "Perl
Cookbook", which does not have more than a single text line in memory at any
time.

The trivial way to pick a random line would of course be to read all lines into
an array, and then pick a random index for that array.

The algorithm used here, however, will generate a random number between zero and
the number of lines read, every time a line is read. Then, if that number is
greater than one, the line will be taken as the resulting line, for that moment.

Of course, when more lines are read after that, any line can be picked in that
fashion, _where the chance the line is picked is still equal for evey line_.

Brilliant.

## Build

`make`

## Install

`sudo make install`

or, on OpenBSD:

`doas gmake install`

## Run

`ranlin <textfile>`

Output will be some random line from the file.