Exclude zero when sampling random integers

Question

I want to generate triplets of random integers over where the integers are in the range -9 to 9 (inclusive) but excluding zero. How can I do that?

I have the following table.

Table[a -> RandomInteger[{-9, 9}, 3], {50}] // Column

{a -> {0, 9, 6}},
{a -> {7, -3, 1}},
{a -> {-8, -2, -6}},
{a -> {9, 0, 2}},
{a -> {-2, 5, 6}},
{a -> {0, 4, -2}},
{a -> {8, -5, -1}},
{a -> {3, -4, -9}},
{a -> {-8, 7, 6}},
{a -> {-9, 8, 5}},
{a -> {2, -1, 9}},
{a -> {7, 0, 2}},
{a -> {5, -2, 0}},
{a -> {1, -9, -6}},
{a -> {0, -8, 0}},
{a -> {-9, -9, -2}},
{a -> {9, -2, -3}},
{a -> {6, -1, -5}},
{a -> {-3, 2, 1}},
{a -> {-7, 3, 0}},
{a -> {8, 4, -5}},
{a -> {-9, -1, 0}},
{a -> {1, 0, -4}},
{a -> {0, -4, 3}},
{a -> {-1, -9, -6}},
{a -> {9, 8, -3}},
{a -> {6, -2, 4}},
{a -> {2, 3, 8}},
{a -> {-9, 1, -4}},
{a -> {8, -1, -9}},
{a -> {-7, 7, 9}},
{a -> {-8, -7, 2}},
{a -> {2, 3, -7}},
{a -> {-2, 9, 5}},
{a -> {9, 1, 0}},
{a -> {8, 0, -6}},
{a -> {-4, -8, 1}},
{a -> {8, -5, 6}},
{a -> {-9, -4, -9}},
{a -> {9, 7, -8}},
{a -> {9, 8, -5}},
{a -> {9, 5, 5}},
{a -> {-4, -5, -4}},
{a -> {-3, 2, 0}},
{a -> {-9, -9, 0}},
{a -> {-7, 1, -4}},
{a -> {7, 6, -5}},
{a -> {-4, 1, -6}},
{a -> {-5, -9, 0}},
{a -> {-6, 2, -6}}

I don't want the zeros that appear above. I have used DeleteCasesand Replace with no results,

Answer 1

try

Table[a -> RandomChoice[Join[-Range[9], Range[9]], 3], 50] // Column

Answer 2

Replace

RandomInteger[{-9, 9}, 3]

with

RandomChoice[Delete[Range[-9, 9], 10], 3]

Update

The OP asks in a comment below that the selected triples be constrained so that no element triples is duplicated. I would enforce that constraint with a recursive helper command.

With[{items = Delete[Range[-9, 9], 10]},
  helper :=
    Module[{triple},
      triple = DeleteDuplicates @ RandomSample[items, 3];
      If[Length[triple] == 3, triple, helper]]]

SeedRandom[42]; Column[rules = Table[a -> helper, 50]]

a -> {2, 9, -9}
a -> {5, -3, -6}
a -> {9, 7, 8}
...
a -> {4, -2, -6}
a -> {-1, -7, 9}
a -> {-7, 9, -5}

The following proves the above result contains no triple with duplicate elements.

AllTrue[rules, Length[Union[#[[2]]]] === 3 &]

True

Answer 3

If you are interested in distinct triples, you might want to generate the entire list of possibilities and then use RandomSample:

samples = RandomSample[Tuples[DeleteCases[Range[-9,9],0], 3], 50];
Thread[a -> samples] //Short

{a->{-1,3,5},a->{5,-9,-7},a->{8,6,-6},<<44>>,a->{-9,-8,-1},a->{2,-1,9},a->{8,-9,-6}}

Answer 4

randomSigns[] := RandomChoice[{1, -1}, {3}]
randomNumber[n_] := RandomInteger[{1, 9}, {n, 3}]
a -> randomSigns[] # & /@ randomNumber[50]

Answer 5

This will delete all entries with zeros:

t = Table[a -> RandomInteger[{-9, 9}, 3], {50}];
DeleteCases[t, HoldPattern[a -> p : {__}] /; MemberQ[p, 0]]

also this will replace entries where zeros are present:

replacements = Range[-9, -1]~Join~Range[1, 9];
Replace[t, HoldPattern[a -> {OrderlessPatternSequence[(p : 0 ..), (t : Except[0] ..)]}] :> 
a -> {t}~Join~RandomChoice[replacements, Length@{p}], {1}]

Demo:

t // Short
(* {a -> {8, -2, -1}, a -> {8, 6, 0}, a -> {9, 5, -4}, a -> {9, 0, 0}, 
a -> {-7, 0, 4}, a -> {8, -5, -6}, a -> {4, 7, 2}, a -> {0, 3, 2}, <<35>>,
a -> {-5, -1, -6}, a -> {5, 7, -5}, a -> {-2, -3, 3}, a -> {-4, 0, 4},
a -> {1, 7, 3}, a -> {0, 9, -1}, a -> {-7, -4, -4}} *)

DeleteCases[t, HoldPattern[a -> p : {__}] /; MemberQ[p, 0]]//Short
(* {a -> {8, -2, -1}, a -> {9, 5, -4}, a -> {8, -5, -6}, a -> {4, 7, 2}, 
a -> {8, 5, -7}, a -> {5, 2, 3}, a -> {-5, 9, -5}, a -> {1, 5, -8}, <<22>>,
a -> {-9, -6, -7}, a -> {-4, 3, -9}, a -> {-5, -1, -6}, 
a -> {5, 7, -5}, a -> {-2, -3, 3}, a -> {1, 7, 3}, a -> {-7, -4, -4}} *)

(* if we need to keep the length of the list and replace entries where zero(s) exist *)

replacements = Range[-9, -1]~Join~Range[1, 9];
Replace[t, HoldPattern[a -> {OrderlessPatternSequence[(p : 0 ..),(t : Except[0] ..)]}] :>
a -> {t}~Join~ RandomChoice[replacements, Length@{p}], {1} ] // Short

(* {a -> {8, -2, -1}, a -> {6, 8, 2}, a -> {9, 5, -4}, a -> {9, -6, 3},
a -> {-7, 4, 8}, a -> {8, -5, -6}, a -> {4, 7, 2}, a -> {2, 3, -5},
<<35>>, a -> {-5, -1, -6}, a -> {5, 7, -5}, a -> {-2, -3, 3}, 
a -> {-4, 4, 5}, a -> {1, 7, 3}, a -> {-1, 9, -8}, a -> {-7, -4, -4}} *)