CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
Generates a random 8-character password that is free of annoying easily confused characters such as 1 or l, O or 0. This is done by taking a UUID, combining parts of it into two-byte chunks, and treating the two-byte chunk as a hexadecimal number. This number is then converted into base-10 and converted into a chr(). This is done until 8 such chars are generated. The result is compared to see if any unwanted similar chars exist, and if so, the sequence is re-ran. This is done by taking a UUID, combining parts of it into two-byte chunks, and treating the two-byte chunk as a hexadecimal number. This number is then converted into base-10 and converted into a chr(). This is done until 8 such chars are generated. The result is compared to see if any unwanted similar chars exist, and if so, the sequence is re-ran.

Return Values:
Returns a string.

Example:

<CFOUTPUT>
Here is a random password: #MakePassword()#
</CFOUTPUT>

Parameters:

No arguments.

Full UDF Source:

<cfscript>
/**
 * Generates an 8-character random password free of annoying similar-looking characters such as 1 or l.
 * 
 * @return Returns a string. 
 * @author Alan McCollough (&#97;&#109;&#99;&#99;&#111;&#108;&#108;&#111;&#117;&#103;&#104;&#64;&#97;&#110;&#109;&#99;&#46;&#111;&#114;&#103;) 
 * @version 1, December 18, 2001 
 */
function MakePassword()
{      
  var valid_password = 0;
  var loopindex = 0;
  var this_char = "";
  var seed = "";
  var new_password = "";
  var new_password_seed = "";
  while (valid_password eq 0){
    new_password = "";
    new_password_seed = CreateUUID();
    for(loopindex=20; loopindex LT 35; loopindex = loopindex + 2){
      this_char = inputbasen(mid(new_password_seed, loopindex,2),16);
      seed = int(inputbasen(mid(new_password_seed,loopindex/2-9,1),16) mod 3)+1;
      switch(seed){
        case "1": {
          new_password = new_password & chr(int((this_char mod 9) + 48));
          break;
        }
	case "2": {
          new_password = new_password & chr(int((this_char mod 26) + 65));
          break;
        }
        case "3": {
          new_password = new_password & chr(int((this_char mod 26) + 97));
          break;
        }
      } //end switch
    }
    valid_password = iif(refind("(O|o|0|i|l|1|I|5|S)",new_password) gt 0,0,1);	
  }
  return new_password;
}
</cfscript>