Passwords and Asterisks (*)

[joey7643]

I thought that this would be a common topic, but after searching the posts, I didn't find anything, so...

I would like to have my program set up so that when the user enters a password, their password will be replaced with an asterisk (*) for each character entered. I have tried using INKEY$ but to no avail.

Also, if the user enters the password wrong, he/she would key the backspace key to change the password. I would like the asterisks to display this, too. Again, I tried using INKEY$ with that, but for some reason I have never been able to get that to work.

Thanks for any help any one can give me.

[DrV]

You'd have to write your own input routine, if you're trying to use INPUT. For example:

Code:

Do
  do while len(xx$) = 0
    xx$ = inkey$
  loop
  pass$ = pass$ + xx$
  print "*";
Loop Until done = 1

print "Password entered was "; pass$

You'd have to code up a little thingy to check for backspace and unprintable characters ,but that shouldn't be too hard.

[Ninkazu]

Code:

FUNCTION dinputPRINT$ (x1, question$, acceptable$, limit, col)

yy = CSRLIN 'yy = current y position

'set the color and coordinates, then print the question
COLOR col: LOCATE yy, x1: PRINT question$
  x$ = ""
  newx = LEN(question$) + x1 'place the new x coordinate after the question

DO 'loop until done

  i$ = INKEY$
  SELECT CASE i$
   CASE CHR$(8)         'backspace is pressed. What do we do?
    IF LEN(x$) > 0 THEN 'if the length of what has been typed is < 0...

     x$ = LEFT$(x$, LEN(x$) - 1) 'take off the last character
     xx = newx + 1               'reset the X coordinate
      
    'reprint the question
      LOCATE yy, x1: PRINT question$
    'print what has been typed
      LOCATE yy, xx: PRINT x$ + SPACE$(limit - LEN(x$))
    END IF
   CASE CHR$(13) 'enter has been pressed. Exit the loop
    EXIT DO
   CASE CHR$(27) 'escape has been pressed. dinputPRINT = escape code 99
    x$ = "99"
    EXIT DO
   CASE ELSE    'any other keys pressed?

    IF INSTR(acceptable$, i$) > 0 THEN 'if the key is an acceptable one...
     IF LEN(x$) < limit THEN          'if the string hasn't reached the limit
      x$ = x$ + i$                   'add what has been pressed to the string
      xx = newx + LEN(x$)       'set the x coodinate to the end of the string
    LOCATE yy, xx: PRINT  "*" 'i$ 'print the character
     END IF
    END IF
  END SELECT
  WAIT &H3DA, 8
LOOP
dinputPRINT$ = x$
END FUNCTION

LOCATE yy, xx: PRINT "*" 'i$ 'print the character
This is the line I changed to my dinput function to display * instead of the character. To specify the x & y, you'll have to use LOCATE and then the x value again in the function call :\

[joey7643]

Thank you for your help. I will try this and see if it works for my needs :bounce:

[Mango]

I would like to have my program set up so that when the user enters a password, their password will be replaced with an asterisk (*) for each character entered. I have tried using INKEY$ but to no avail.

Also, if the user enters the password wrong, he/she would key the backspace key to change the password. I would like the asterisks to display this, too. Again, I tried using INKEY$ with that, but for some reason I have never been able to get that to work.

I recently wrote code to do exactly what you want...including backspace. An exe of the full program is at:
http://www.tcdn.teiher.gr/upload/downloa...fileid=682

Here's a working snippet of the password handling routine...this will run as a stand-alone program.

Code:

DECLARE SUB getpassword (word$, lin%)
SCREEN 0
COLOR 7
DEFINT A-Z

DO
CLS
PRINT "Enter Password for file"

pwa$ = ""
pwb$ = ""

lin = 0
CALL getpassword(pwa$, lin)
lin = 1
CALL getpassword(pwb$, lin)
IF pwa$ <> pwb$ THEN
PRINT
PRINT "Password not Confirmed"
PRINT
PRINT "try again"
t# = TIMER: DO UNTIL TIMER - t# > 1: LOOP    '2-second pause
CLS
END IF
LOOP UNTIL pwa$ = pwb$                  'valid password selected

SUB getpassword (word$, lin)
COLOR 7
IF lin = 0 THEN
  LOCATE 7, 1
  PRINT "        Password:";
ELSEIF lin = 1 THEN
  LOCATE 8, 1
  PRINT "Confirm Password:";
END IF
star$ = "*"
DO
a$ = INKEY$
IF a$ <> "" THEN
word$ = word$ + a$
SELECT CASE a$
CASE CHR$(8)                               '<backspace>
    IF LEN(word$) = 1 THEN
      word$ = ""
      GOTO outofhere                        'backspace + null-length
    END IF
    word$ = LEFT$(word$, LEN(word$) - 2)
    star$ = LEFT$(star$, LEN(star$) - 2)
CASE CHR$(13)                              '<enter>
    word$ = LEFT$(word$, LEN(word$) - 1)
    EXIT DO
END SELECT
COLOR 14
LOCATE 7 + lin, 19
PRINT SPACE$(LEN(star$) + 2)
LOCATE 7 + lin, 19
PRINT star$;

star$ = star$ + "*"
outofhere:
END IF
LOOP
COLOR 7
END SUB

[joey7643]

Thank you Mango. The code portion works perfectly!

Nice program you wrote there, by the way. Very useful

[oracle]

There are other posts out there that already ask this (although I cannot find them). Me and Zack set out once upon a time to build a full graphical login, but never finished it. However, I have the code for a working password prog, with encryption as well, which I will post as soon as I can find it.

[ak00ma]

Just put it into the FAQ...i think that would be the best place for it...

to all Newbies out there:

Don't forget to have a look into the FAQ before posting a question which is maybe already answered on the board or in the FAQ, ok?

[Zack]

Well people are showing there password programs, here's is mine:

Code:

CLS
PRINT "Enter Password: ";
row = 1
col = 17
LOCATE row, col
DO
press$ = INKEY$
IF press$ <> "" AND press$ <> CHR$(8) THEN
IF press$ = CHR$(13) THEN EXIT DO
LOCATE row, col
PRINT "*";
pswd$ = pswd$ + press$
col = col + 1
LOCATE row, col
END IF
IF press$ = CHR$(8) AND col - 1 >= 17 THEN
a$ = LEFT$(pswd$, LEN(pswd$) - 1)
col = col - 1
LOCATE row, col: PRINT " ";
pswd$ = a$
END IF
LOOP

It supports the backspace key, and the password entered is stored in the variable pswd$.

[Meg]

Code:

y% = CSRLIN
x% = POS(0)
p$ = ""
a$ = ""
  
DO
     LOCATE y%, x%
     PRINT "Enter password: "; a$; " ";
     k$ = INPUT$(1)
     SELECT CASE k$
          CASE CHR$(8)
               IF LEN(p$) THEN
                    p$ = LEFT$(p$, LEN(p$) - 1)
                    a$ = LEFT$(a$, LEN(a$) - 1)
               END IF
          CASE CHR$(13)
               EXIT DO
          CASE ELSE
               IF POS(0) < 80 THEN
                    p$ = p$ + k$
                    a$ = a$ + "*"
               END IF
     END SELECT
LOOP