[RESOLVED] get_random_word problems

conjurer

I am trying to run a php5 file for people that forgot their password. It is erroring out with a message of:

'Exception' with message 'Could not generate new password.' in /home/blahblah/user_auth_fns.php5:124 Stack trace: #0 /home/blahblah/forgot_passwd.php5(10): reset_password('Houdini') #1 {main}

So if I am reading the exception variable right is this saying the problem is in line 124 of my user_auth_fns.php5 file? If so, those lines are as follows:

116	function reset_password($username)
117	// set password for username to a random value
118	// return the new password or false on failure
119	{ 
120	  // get a random dictionary word b/w 6 and 13 chars in length
121	  $new_password = get_random_word(6, 13);
122	  

123	  if($new_password==false)
124	    throw new Exception('Could not generate new password.');
125	  // add a number  between 0 and 999 to it
126	  // to make it a slightly better password
127	  srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000);
128	  $rand_number = rand(0, 999); 
129	  $new_password .= $rand_number;

Is it possible the get_random_word function isn't loaded at my webhost? If so, how would I load it? I do have ability to add cusom php.ini lines. Or is there another easier way to change this to generate the random password for them?

Thanks!

So much to learn!
😕

NogDog

conjurer wrote:
...Is it possible the get_random_word function isn't loaded at my webhost?...

Yes, since there is no such built-in function by that name in PHP. You'll either have to write your own function or find one that you can copy into your script.

Piranha

You can see what is outputted by echo $new_password. Then you will see if the get_random_word works or not.

I can't find the function "get_random_word" in the quick reference, so I assume that it is not a built-in PHP function. To add it just upload the file like you do with any php-file and add a row like this:

include_once("filename");

Then it should hopefully work.

conjurer

Hmm, but where would you get the file?

This was in Welling Thomson book 3rd edition and was issued when PHP5 was still in release candidate stage.

Installer

There's a function by that name in the user notes for mt_rand() here.

conjurer

:rolleyes:

Well, reading further along in the book....I find the following:

The get_random_word() function, is also in the user_auth_fns.php5 library.

...
To work, the get_random_word() function needs a dictionary. [DUH!]
If you are using a Unix system, the built-in spell checker ispell ....located ...
If you don't find it...you can download one from wordlist.sourceforge.net!

Cool! 🆒 Maybe I can figure out where to put it and get this working.

Thanks for your posts.

Two steps back and one step forward.... 🙂

wolfraain

this code of your problem with relation to get_random_word(), is a fuction

function get_random_word($min_length, $max_length)
// grab a random word from dictionary between the two lengths
// and return it
{
// generate a random word
$word = "";
$dictionary = "/usr/dict/words"; // the ispell dictionary
$fp = fopen($dictionary, "r");
$size = filesize($dictionary);

// go to a random location in dictionary
srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000);
$rand_location = rand(0, $size);
fseek($fp, $rand_location);

// get the next whole word of the right length in the file
while (strlen($word)< $min_length || strlen($word)>$max_length)
{
if (feof($fp))
fseek($fp, 0); // if at end, go to start
$word = fgets($fp, 80); // skip first word as it could be partial
$word = fgets($fp, 80); // the potential password
};
$word=trim($word); // trim the trailing \n from fgets
return $word;
}