A simple command-line tool for creating randomised pairings, written in Ruby.

README.md

Rando-Pair

It creates randomised pairings from the given inputs.

Examples:

Simple:

╭─{ yaauie@durin:~ }
╰─● rando-pair Alice Bob Charlie Donald Evelyn Frank Gertrude
Donald + Charlie
Alice + Evelyn
Bob + Frank
Gertrude
[success]

If your first-names aren't unique, simply quote or escape the names that have whitespace:

╭─{ yaauie@durin:~ }
╰─● rando-pair Alice "Bob A" "Bob B" Charlie Donald Evelyn Frank Gertrude
Alice + Bob A
Evelyn + Frank
Bob B + Charlie
Gertrude + Donald
[success]

╭─{ yaauie@durin:~ }
╰─● rando-pair Alice Bob\ A Bob\ B Charlie Donald Evelyn Frank Gertrude
Evelyn + Frank
Donald + Charlie
Bob B + Alice
Bob A + Gertrude
[success]

rando-pair

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
# rando-pair: create randomised pairings.
#
# USAGE:
#  - list the participants as arguments to the command line:
#    ~~~
#    $ rando-pair name...
#    ~~~
#
#  - rando-pair will read a list of participants from stdin if you give it a
#    single `-`:
#    ~~~
#    $ pbpaste | rando-pair -
#    ~~~

items = (ARGV == ['-'] ? $stdin.read.lines.map(&:chomp) : ARGV).to_a

$stdout.puts items.shuffle
     .each_slice(2)
     .map { |pair| pair.join(' + ') }