Hiding Passwords

[Keith E. Black]

How do I produce asterisks to hide a password from someone looking over my shoulder.
I have tried the "color 15,15" approach, but sometimes forget how many more spaces
I need to complete the password. I am using the PB 3.5 compiler.
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

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[Matthew Berg]

Try the following example:

REM ********************************************************************************
REM *                        Hidden Text Input Example Code                        *
REM *                  This code is released to the Public Domain                  *
REM ********************************************************************************
$DIM ALL
 
DECLARE FUNCTION GetHiddenInput( BYVAL STRING, BYVAL STRING ) AS STRING
DIM sText AS STRING
 
CLS
LET sText = GetHiddenInput( "Enter text: ", "*" )
PRINT
PRINT "You entered the string " + CHR$( 34 ) + sText + CHR$( 34 )
 
END
 
FUNCTION GetHiddenInput( _
	BYVAL sPrompt AS STRING, _
   BYVAL sHiddenChar AS STRING ) PRIVATE AS STRING
 
   DIM sChar AS STRING
   DIM sInput AS STRING
 
   'Display prompt
   PRINT sPrompt;
   LOCATE , , 1
 
   'Process input
   LET sChar = INKEY$
   WHILE sChar <> CHR$( 13 )
   	IF LEN( sChar ) > 0 THEN
			SELECT CASE sChar
	      	CASE CHR$( 8 )
	         	IF LEN( sInput ) > 0 THEN
	            	LET sInput = LEFT$( sInput, LEN( sInput ) - 1 )
	               LOCATE , LEN( sPrompt ) + 1, 0
	               PRINT STRING$( LEN( sInput ) * LEN( sHiddenChar ), sHiddenChar ) + SPACE$( LEN( sHiddenChar ) );
	               LOCATE , LEN( sPrompt ) + 1 + ( LEN( sInput ) * LEN( sHiddenChar ) ), 1
	            ELSE
	            	BEEP
	            END IF
	         CASE ELSE
	         	LET sInput = sInput + sChar
	            PRINT STRING$( LEN( sHiddenChar ), sHiddenChar );
	      END SELECT
      END IF
 
      LET sChar = INKEY$
   WEND
 
   FUNCTION = sInput
 
END FUNCTION

Please note that this example makes no allowance for wrapping that might occur if you type a string too big for one line, or for scrolling that might occur if you are entering text at the bottom of the screen. It also has onlya minimum of editing capabilities (backspace to delete the last character).

HTH.

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If you try to make something idiot-proof, someone will invent a better idiot.

[Mel Bishop]

A little simpler approach (typing off the cuff, so...)

h = 0
pword$ = ""
do
while instat=0
'other processing here as needed
wend
an$ = inkey$
h = asc(an$)
if h = 13 or h = 27 then exit loop  'Cr or ESC

if h = 8 then                       'Backspace
'backspace code needed here
end if

if h > 31 and h < 128 then          'printable only
pword$ = pword$ + an$
print;"*";
end if
loop

[This message has been edited by Mel Bishop (edited September 30, 2003).]

[Kim Peck]

'backspace code for mel's little program:

x=pos
locate , x-1 : print " ";
locate , x-1
pword$=left$(pword$, len(pword$)-1)

please note that i'm kinda new to pb and i wrote this here
without any sort of testing, just in case there's an error .

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[This message has been edited by Kim Peck (edited October 10, 2003).]

[Mel Bishop]

Originally posted by Kim Peck:

x=pos
locate , x-1 : print " ";
locate , x-1
pword$=left$(pword$, len(pword$)-1)

Should work quite nicely, Kim. Please don't forget to add code
to take into account that X may wind up being zero and pword$
might wind up being a null string. Pressing B/S under those
circumstances......

That's the main reason I didn't include it in the first place.
What with me typing off the cuff, wouldn't have a chance to
debug it.



------------------

[Kim Peck]

good point, i wasn't really thinking.

if len(pword$)>0 then
   x=pos
   locate , x-1 : print " ";
   locate , x-1
   pword$=left$(pword$, len(pword$)-1)
else
   beep
end if

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[This message has been edited by Kim Peck (edited October 10, 2003).]