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randstr is a simple utility that implements the minimal functionality of
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the fortune program. Give it the name of a strfile text or data
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(pointer) file, and it will randomly select and print one text string.
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It isn't intended to do a lot; it's supposed to be a sample
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implementation of a minimal strfile type random text retrieval function,
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such as might be used to generate random .signature files.
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Create a file of signatures in strfile format (none more than four lines
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long, please!). Call it signatures, for ease of understanding.
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Run it through strfile to create the pointer file; put both files in a
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safe place--your home directory, for instance.
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In your .login or .profile, add the line:
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randstr $HOME/signatures >.signature
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Each time you log in, your signature will change randomly to one of those
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in the file signatures. If you change the file, be sure to update the
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pointers file! (use strfile)
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If you happen to have root privileges, you might be able to hack Pnews
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to change the sig randomly whenever you post. The solution is left as
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an exercise for the student (gee, I *always* wanted to say that!).
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As root, create a shell or Perl script to read /etc/passwd and create
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a strfile text file containing login name (line one) and GECOS (line
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Add an entry to crontab.root that runs that script once a month, then
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uses strfile to create the data file, and randstr to select one entry
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Give valuable prizes to the winning login. The script can also auto-mail
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to the user, with Cc: root.
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Any other 'lottery'-style function could be implemented the same way.
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Both of these examples are more easily implemented with randstr (which
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doesn't care where the files are, and accepts no parameters) than with
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fortune, which expects files to be in a place specified at compile-time.
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Amy A. Lewis alewis@email.unc.edu
added
removed
util/README.randstr
