Thread: Password Generating Program Help

I have to code a program that generates a random password for the user based on the character set they choose from. I did the code to generate the numbers (which I later have to convert to characters), but the code also asks for the password length. How do I code the part where it generates the specific length of the password?

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Random;
import java.io.*;
public class Passwords
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);   
        String password = "";
        int randNum = 0;
        Random randNumList = new Random();
 
        System.out.println("Password Generation Menu");
        System.out.println();
        System.out.println("[1] Lowercase Letters");
        System.out.println("[2] Lowercase & Uppercase Letters");
        System.out.println("[3] Lowercase, Uppercase, & Numbers");
        System.out.println("[4] Lowercase, Uppercase, Numbers, & Punctuation");
        System.out.println("[5] Quit");
        System.out.println();
        System.out.print("Enter Selection (1-5): ");
        int selection = in.nextInt();
 
        if (selection == 1)
        {
            while (randNum >= 97 && randNum <= 122)
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(122);
            }
        }
        else if (selection == 2)
        {
            while (!(randNum >= 65 && randNum <= 90) && !(randNum >= 97 && randNum >=122))
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(122);
            }
        }
        else if (selection == 3)
        {
            while (!(randNum >= 60 && randNum <= 71) && !(randNum >= 65 && randNum <= 90) && !(randNum >= 97 && randNum >=122))
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(122);
            }
        }
        else if (selection == 4)
        {
            while (randNum >= 48)
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(127);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            System.exit(0);
        }
 
        System.out.print("Password Length (1-14): ");
        int passLength = in.nextInt();
 
        System.out.println("Password: " + password);
    }
}

Originally Posted by Norm

Can you count the number of characters added to build the password and stop when the desired length is reached?

Something like this?

if (selection == 1)
   {
        while (randNum >= 97 && randNum <= 122)
        {
            for (int loop = 0; loop <= passLength; loop++)
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(122);
                password += in.nextInt();
            }
        }
   }

Originally Posted by Norm

What happens when you execute that code? What is printed out at the end for the value of password?

It's blank. I must have made an error somewhere. I don't really know where though.

Originally Posted by Norm

Can you explain how the code you posted in post#3 is supposed to work?
Copy the code here and add a comment to each statement describing what it is supposed to do.
Explain how and when each variable gets it value and how that value is used and changed.
For example, explain what randNum's value is when this is executed

 while (randNum >= 97 && randNum <= 122)

I meant to put randNum where it originally said in.nextInt();

if (selection == 1) // If they choose Menu Option 1, then this code below will execute.
   {
        while (randNum >= 97 && randNum <= 122) // When randNum is generated, if it is >= 97 but <= 122, then it goes to the for loop.
        {
            for (int loop = 0; loop <= passLength; loop++) // I ask the user to enter in the character length and declare it as int passLength. The loop goes through however many times they put in for the password length.
            {
                randNum = randNumList.nextInt(122); // It gets the next number between 97 and 122.
                password += randNum; // It adds the number to the String password.
            }
        }
   }