So you only ever need at most N-random lines?

Here is what i'd do in pseudo code 

my @candidates = sort nRandomIntegers( $wantedN );
my @chosen;
while( "not done" ){
    $line = readline $file;
    "keep reading if current line is not first candidate";#:)

    if( satisfyConditions( $lineish , \@chosen ) ){
        push @chosen, $lineish;
        shift @candidates;
    }
    "stop reading if chosen   wantedN  lines";
    "pick new candidates when run  out of candidates ";
    "rewind filehandle if reach the end but not wantedN";
    "give up, rewinded three times, never gonna happen";
}

[download]

Does that make sense? Any questions?

In reply to Re: Building a new file by filtering a randomized old file on two fields by Anonymous Monk
in thread Building a new file by filtering a randomized old file on two fields by mbp

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