Generate a random number with 4 digits only

I have a batch script that generates random numbers from 1 to 10000.

My Batch Script

@echo off cls SET /A RAND=%RANDOM%%%10000+1 echo %RAND% echo. pause 

Current Outputs

2532 (4 digits) 253 (3 digits) 25 (2 digits) 2 (1 digits) 

Expected Outputs

2432 (4 digits) 3431 (4 digits) 9282 (4 digits) 8812 (4 digits) 

Question

I need the random number to be consisted of 4 digits only and not 1, 2, or 3 digits and always 4.

4 Answers

Generate Random 4-Digit Number Windows Batch Script

You can use a batch script with Windows to complete this task easily as I'll explain below.

Essentially this will. . .

1. Use PowerShell's Get-Random function to generate the random number
   • The random number value will be in a range of 0000-9999 using the -Maximum and -Minimum parameters

2. Use the "0" Custom Specifier—"{0:0000} -f $fRandom" with PowerShell and .NET to ensure the random number value has leading zeros added ensuring it always has 4 digits

3. Result in the PowerShell random number value being echo'd as the output

4. Use a FOR /F loop to take the result of the executed PowerShell script (the random number) within it, and save that result as a variable to use in the batch script for your needs (%RAND%)

Batch Script

If the random number cannot be 4-digit values with prefixed zeros like 0001, 0011, or 0111 you can change the -Minimum 1000 like that instead but random digits 1-999 will be omitted so the value of 1000 is what you want to use for the -Minimum parameter if that's the case.

 @ECHO ON SET PSScript=%Temp%\~tmpRandom4Digit.ps1 IF EXIST "%PSScript%" DEL /Q /F "%PSScript%" ECHO $fRandom = Get-Random -Maximum 9999 -Minimum 0000>>"%PSScript%" ECHO $Random = "{0:0000}" -f $fRandom>>"%PSScript%" ECHO ECHO $Random>>"%PSScript%" SET PowerShellDir=C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0 CD /D "%PowerShellDir%" FOR /F "DELIMS=" %%A IN ('Powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "& '%PSScript%'"') DO SET "RAND=%%A" echo %RAND% EXIT 

Further Resources

• FOR /F
• Get-Random
• Using .NET to Format Numbers in Windows PowerShell
• The "0" Custom Specifier

A simple solution could be to take the last digit of four random generated numbers

set "RAND=%random:~-1%%random:~-1%%random:~-1%%random:~-1%" 

Your could use my batch script:

@echo off if "%1" == "/?" ( echo Usage: echo. echo random [min] [max] echo random /? echo. echo Can be used to generate a random number between [min] - [max] and displays the output in the RDM variable. echo./? can be used to display help echo. echo Examples: echo. echo random 1 5 - Generates a random number between 1 - 5 echo random /? - Displays help ) if not "%1" == "/?" set /a rdm=(%random%*%2/32768)+%1 

Then drag in the C:\Windows\System32 Folder and type "random /?" for the syntax.

You just need to adjust the minimum value and the range on your initial solution.

@echo off cls SET /A RAND=%RANDOM%%%9000+1000 echo %RAND% echo. pause