---
name: "randtype"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "randtype"
version: "1.13-11.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/randtype"
---

# randtype(1)

Output characters or lines at random intervals

## NAME

randtype - Output characters or lines at random intervals

## SYNOPSIS

**randtype** \[ **-l** \] \[ **-d ,\|.\<string\> \[ -k \]** \] \[ **-t \<ms,mult\>** \] \[ **-w \<string\> \[ -c ms,mult \]** \] \[ **-r s1,s2\[:...\]** \] \[ **-n \<string\>** \] \[ **-q \<int\>** \] \[ **-m \<int\>** \] \[ **file ...** \]

## DESCRIPTION

**randtype** reads input from either standard input or from a file and outputs each character or line at random intervals. If multiple files are specified, each is read in sequence.

## OPTIONS

**randtype** recognizes the following command line options:

- **-c ms,mult**

  For optional use with the -w option, this has the same microsecond and multiplier value format as the -t option. The default for this option is specified at compile time.

- **-d string**

  Output everything before (left) or after (right) the specified string immediately. The string must begin with either ',' or '.' which specifies the direction, left or right, respectively.

- **-h**

  Print a summary of the command line options and exit.

- **-k**

  Suppress output of the string specified by the dump string option.

- **-l**

  Output lines rather than characters. Only the -t and -q options are valid when using this option, all other options are ignored.

- **-m int**

  Generate random mistakes. The int value is how many times to compare and match the next character and a randomly generated character.

- **-n chars**

  Output the specified characters immediately with no random waiting.

- **-r s1,s2\[:...\]**

  Replace the string s1 with string s2. You can specify multiple replacements by separating them with a ':'.

- **-q int**

  Quit the program after this many seconds.

- **-t ms,mult**

  This option refines the random delay of output. The value of the argument is separated by a comma with the first argument being a microsecond and the second being a multiplier of a random number between 0 and the microsecond. A character-per-second effect can, for example, be made by setting the microsecond to 0 and the multiplier to 1000000. The default for this option is specified at compile time.

- **-v**

  Display version information and exit.

- **-w chars**

  The inverse of the -n option; this option waits on the specified characters. Use the -c option to refine the random delay of output.

## EXAMPLE

randtype -t 13,16000 -d ",\*MAGIC\*" -k -n '0ou' filename

## SEE ALSO

[**random**(3)](/random/3.md), [**srandom**(3)](/srandom/3.md), [**alarm**(2)](/alarm/2.md), [**select**(2)](/select/2.md)

## AUTHOR

This program was created by bjk \<bjk@arbornet.org\> and released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 or later.