# Randomizing XML questions using E4X

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/randomizing-xml-questions-using-e4x/307927
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [April 13, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/randomizing-xml-questions-using-e4x/307927 "2010-04-13T16:54:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![webguync](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/webguync/32/2434_2.png) [@webguync](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/webguync)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/randomizing-xml-questions-using-e4x/307927/1 "2010-04-13T16:54:14Z")

</div>

I have an application which pulls in data (questions) via XML and randomizes them. Right now if there is 50 questions in the XML file, 50 questions are displayed and randomized in the application. I am trying to figure out how to limit the randomizing pool so that only 35 questions display(even when the XML file has 50 questions) or something like that. My current code which brings in the file and randomizes is below.

```auto

 
package exam {
    import flash.net.* //to create URLRequest and load XML file
    import flash.events.* //for Load events
    //import flash.display.* //for testing purposes - remove when testing complete
     
    //This class downloads the XML document, and then inserts info into arrays and variables.
    //Also provides text of questions and correct answers when requested.
    internal class XaMLDiplomat extends EventDispatcher {
        //VARIABLES:
        //for loaded XML doc
        private var myXML:XML;
        //for loading in XML
        private var examLoader:URLLoader;
         private var numQstns:Number; //count of total questions in a section
         private var sectStart:Number;
        //contains exam questions - ALL ARRAYS ARE ZERO RELATIVE -> actual question numbers = array index + 1
        private var questions:Array;
        //contain associated answer choices
        private var choiceA:Array;
         private var choiceB:Array;
        private var choiceC:Array;
         private var choiceD:Array;
        private var choiceE:Array;
         private var choiceF:Array;
        //array of the correct answers
         private var answers:Array;
        //use custom Mixer class to randomize order
        private var myMixer:Mixer;
        
         //CONSTRUCTOR
        public function XaMLDiplomat () { //NEED TO ADD ARGUMENTS (docLocation)
            //create URLRequest from argument
            var examSite:URLRequest = new URLRequest("protected/Questions.xml");
            //create a loader for the XML
            examLoader = new URLLoader();
             //add listener for load completion
             examLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, fullyLoaded);
             examLoader.load(examSite);
            //var ugly:Mixer = new Mixer(25);
        }
        
        //Load listener - creates XML object, and checks it for multiple sections. If multiple, it asks users 
        //which section they want - FIRST it needs to check database for any completed sections. 
        //If single, it goes ahead and starts array creation for first (& only) section
         private function fullyLoaded (e:Event):void {
            myXML = new XML(examLoader.data);
            //myXML.prettyPrinting = false;
             //still need to pull out SYSTEM data and pass it along...
             var system:XMLList = myXML..SYSTEM;
            var sysObj:Object = new Object();
            sysObj.examTitle = system.TITLE.toString();
             sysObj.totalMin = system.MINUTES.toString();
             sysObj.retakePW = system.RETAKEPW.toString();
            var numSections:Number = myXML..SECTION.length();
            if (numSections == 1) {
                generateArrays(1);
             }
            dispatchEvent(new MultiSectEvent(MultiSectEvent.SECTIONS, numSections, sysObj));
         }
        
        //Assigns arrays to instance variables for the selected section
        internal function generateArrays (sectn:Number):void {
            var whichSection:XMLList = myXML..SECTION.(@id == String(sectn));
            var probList:XMLList = whichSection.PROBLEM;
            numQstns = probList.length();
            sectStart = Number(probList[0].@id);
             
            questions = new Array();
            choiceA = new Array();
            choiceB = new Array();
            choiceC = new Array();
            choiceD = new Array();
             choiceE = new Array();
            choiceF = new Array();
             answers = new Array();
            for (var i:Number=0; i<numQstns; i++) {
                var curProb:XMLList = probList.(@id == String(i+1));
                if (curProb.QUESTION.hasSimpleContent()) {
                     questions* = curProb.QUESTION.toString();
                }else {
                     //trace(curProb.QUESTION.toXMLString());
                     questions* = dropTags(curProb.QUESTION[0]);
                }
                 choiceA* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "a").toString();
                 choiceB* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "b").toString();
                 choiceC* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "c").toString();
                 choiceD* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "d").toString();
                 choiceE* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "e").toString();
                 choiceF* = curProb.CHOICE.(@letter == "f").toString();
                 answers* = curProb.CHOICE.(hasOwnProperty("@correct") && @correct == "true").@letter.toString();
            }
             myMixer = new Mixer(numQstns);//mixer commented out
            /*
             trace("Question: "+questions[3]);
            trace("a: "+choiceA[3]);
            trace("b: "+choiceB[3]);
             trace("c: "+choiceC[3]);
            trace("d: "+choiceD[3]);
             trace("
 answer: "+answers[3]); */
        }
        
         //method for external classes to acquire text of current exam question
         internal function getQuestion (qnum:Number):Object {
            var returnObj:Object = new Object();
            var randomQ:Number = myMixer.getRandomNumber(qnum-1);
            returnObj.q = questions[randomQ];
            returnObj.ca = choiceA[randomQ];
             returnObj.cb = choiceB[randomQ];
            returnObj.cc = choiceC[randomQ];
            returnObj.cd = choiceD[randomQ];
             returnObj.ce = choiceE[randomQ];
            returnObj.cf = choiceF[randomQ];
            returnObj.num = qnum;
             //trace(randomQ);
            return returnObj;
        }
         
        private function dropTags (txt:XML):String {
             
            var txtString:String = "";
            for each (var child:XML in txt.*) {
                if (child.nodeKind == "text") {
                     txtString += child.toString();
                }else {
                     txtString += " " + child.toXMLString();
                }
             }
            //trace(txtString);
            return txtString;
         }
        /*
        private function dropTags (txt:String):String {
            var sliceStart:Number = txt.indexOf(">");
            var sliceStop:Number = txt.lastIndexOf("<");
            return txt.slice((sliceStart+1), sliceStop);
        }*/
        
        internal function getAnswer (num:Number):String {
            return answers[num];
         }
        
        internal function getQCount ():Number {
             return numQstns;
        }
        
        internal function getSectStart():Number {
            return sectStart;
        }
         
        internal function getRealNum (num:Number):Number {
             return myMixer.getRandomNumber(num-1);
        }
    }
}

```