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Separation of duplicates with RANDBETWEEN

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    Separation of duplicates with RANDBETWEEN

    Hi, I am attempting to evenly randomize about 500 songs, within weekly song groups of 12, across a yearly calendar. Songs have reference numbers, which are divided into several categories. Some categories are used more than others, thus I need to have duplicate occurrences. The problem is, I need duplicates to have a separation of least 1 month. Right now, duplicates appear anywhere from next to each other on the same day, to 11 months later.

    I know just enough about excel and vba to be dangerous, nay, laughably dangerous, so after much dinking around, I'm now asking for help.

    I tried dividing the song categories into smaller group listings and reducing date ranges, but the end result is about the same...I have duplicates that have uneven separation.

    Given randbetween's very consistent nature, is there something contextually that can be done to perhaps achieve more randomness? I'm a musician, thus my logic in this context is more like an irrevocably flawed and disorganized 3-ring circus, faintly reminiscent of the war-torn back streets of Beirut, which will do more than rot the colons of Satyrs...

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    Forum Guru Kaper's Avatar
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    Re: Separation of duplicates with RANDBETWEEN

    It can be rather easily achieved with VBA (probably also with formulas, but then rather not very simple solution :-) ).
    Especially if you set just a requirement of a minimum period without duplicate.

    Random selection is not (as opposite to general feeling) very equally distributed. Try to make an experiment and toss a dice 6 times.
    One would expect, as it is random, all 1,2,3..6 appears once (of course in random order). Or at least one expects it will be quite often.
    Nope! Probability of such result will be only around 1.5% (720/6^6)

    To try to suggest a proper solution a sample file with sample data (following layout of real one) would be grat help.
    So attach a sample workbook. Make sure there is just enough data to demonstrate your need. Include a BEFORE sheet and an AFTER sheet in the workbook if needed to show the process you're trying to complete or automate. Make sure your desired results are shown, mock them up manually if necessary.

    Remember to desensitize the data. (or may be song names are not so sensitive? then you could leave real data).

    Click on GO ADVANCED and then scroll down to Manage Attachments to open the upload window.
    Best Regards,

    Kaper

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