inputgen.py

# Sample file to generate input for sorting

from datetime import datetime
from random import sample
import sys

class seeddata():

        def genrateRandomDataTill(self, limit):
                
                fileName = datetime.now().strftime("%d_%m_%y_%I%M%S") + ".txt"
                # Setting range of numbers to a high value by multiplying with some constant
                data =  sample(xrange(limit * 8), limit)
                file = open(fileName,"w")

                for idx, val in enumerate(data):
                        if idx != 0:
                                file.write("\n")
                        file.write(str(val))
                file.close()

                print "Generated file with name [%s]" % fileName

                return fileName

if __name__ == '__main__':

        print "This program will generate a input file to be used for sorting."

        if len(sys.argv) == 2:
                script, limit = sys.argv
                print "Got argument as %d " % int(limit)
        else:
                print "Random data will be generated. Tell me how many you want ?"

                try:
                        limit = int(raw_input('> '))
                except Exception, e:
                        print "The number entered is invalid"
                        sys.exit(0)

        i = seeddata()
        i.genrateRandomDataTill(int(limit))