# Shuffle: here's how I did it

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shuffle-heres-how-i-did-it/309574>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [May 18, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shuffle-heres-how-i-did-it/309574 "2010-05-18T23:08:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![0L4F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/848f3c/32.png) [@0L4F](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/0L4F)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shuffle-heres-how-i-did-it/309574/1 "2010-05-18T23:08:27Z")

</div>

I needed to create code for a number of indexed elements to be displayed in a random order.

Or, for example: I have a CD with ten tracks, and I want to play them in a random order, so I need to create an Array with ten elements; each element a unique number from 1 to 10.

Or: a deck of numbered cards gets shuffled:

```auto
private var shuffle:Array;

private function fillShuffle(shuffleLength:int):void {
             shuffle = new Array();
            
            // set the first element:
             shuffle.push(Math.ceil(Math.random() * shuffleLength)); // from 1 to shuffleLength
            
            for (var i:int = 1; i < shuffleLength; i++) {
                fillShufflePos(i, shuffleLength);
            }
            
             trace(shuffle);
        }
        
private function fillShufflePos(shufflePos:int, shuffleLength:int):void {
             var nextElement = Math.ceil(Math.random() * shuffleLength);
             var isUnique:Boolean = true;
            
            for (var i:int = 0; i < shufflePos; i++) {
                if (shuffle* == nextElement) {
                    isUnique = false;
                 }                
            }
            
             if (isUnique) {
                shuffle.push(nextElement);
             } else {
                fillShufflePos(shufflePos, shuffleLength);
            }
}

```

Is there a more efficient way to create an Array like this?