Function Return Values

[shackwm60]

No doubt ive got this all wrong but i am trying to write a function that evaluates password strength/complexity before i hash/encrypt it and i want to give feedback toi the user about what is weak. I thought that i could create a variable to return a string depending on what the result is but i get nothing back. Obviously im still dont understand this too well. (yes still very noob to this). Thanks in advance for suggestion.

function password_strength($password){
        $pwdfailure = "";
    if (strlen($password) <  {
        // too short
        $pwdfailure = "Password must be at least 8 characters.";
        return $pwdfailure;
    }
    if (strlen($password) > 20) {
        // too long
        $pwdfailure = "Password cannot be longer than 20 characters.";
        return $pwdfailure;
    }
    if (!preg_match("/[A-Z]/", $password)) {
        // no upper
        $pwdfailure = "Password must contain an UPPER case character.";
       return $pwdfailure;
    }
    if (!preg_match("/[a-z]/", $password)) {
        // no lower
        $pwdfailure = "Password must contain a LOWER case character.";
       return $pwdfailure;
    }
    if (!preg_match("[^\da-zA-Z]", $password)) {
        // no lower
        $pwdfailure = "Password must contain a SPECIAL character.";
        return $pwdfailure;
    }    
    if (!preg_match("/[0-9]/", $password)) {
        // no digit
        $pwdfailure = "Password must contain at least ONE digit.";
        return $pwdfailure;
    }  
 }

Then i try to test the return value with ...

if (password_strength($confirmed_password)) {
    $pwdmismatch = $pwdfailure;   // I tried this
    $_SESSION["pwdmismatch"] = $pwdfailure;  // and this. 
       redirect_to("loginpage.php");
           } else {
   }

And i want to echo the $pwdfaioure or $_SESSION["pwdmismatch"] where the login form is. But the string is empty.

[ginerjm]

When you call a function that does a "return $value", you have to have something in which to return the value, no?

 

$result = password_strength($confirmed_password);

Then process the value of $result afterwards.

[shackwm60]

i guess i THOUGHT i was creating a result when i defined $pwdfailure = "some text" based on the if statment in the brackets and then return that $pwdfailure variable?

[ginerjm]

Think of the function as the pitcher and the call as the catcher.  If the catcher doesn't have a glove he can't catch it. 

See my previous example please.  Or not.....

[cyberRobot]

$pwdfailure is no longer in scope once you leave the function. You could try something like this:

if($pwdfailure = password_strength($_GET['password'])) {
     echo $pwdfailure;   // I tried this
} else {
     echo 'Password good';
}

Also note that the following if test doesn't do what you expect:

if (!preg_match("[^\da-zA-Z]", $password)) {
     // no lower
     $pwdfailure = "Password must contain a SPECIAL character.";
     return $pwdfailure;
}

[shackwm60]

 

$pwdfailure is no longer in scope once you leave the function. You could try something like this:

if($pwdfailure = password_strength($_GET['password'])) {
     echo $pwdfailure;   // I tried this
} else {
     echo 'Password good';
}

 

doh.. i get it. Now i understand what ginerjm was trying to tell me. Yes that worked. Thanks for that.

Edited January 27, 2014 by shackwm60

[shackwm60]

 

$pwdfailure is no longer in scope once you leave the function. You could try something like this:

if($pwdfailure = password_strength($_GET['password'])) {
     echo $pwdfailure;   // I tried this
} else {
     echo 'Password good';
}

Also note that the following if test doesn't do what you expect:

if (!preg_match("[^\da-zA-Z]", $password)) {
     // no lower
     $pwdfailure = "Password must contain a SPECIAL character.";
     return $pwdfailure;
}

 

ok i changed the preg_match to...

if (!preg_match('/[\'\/~`\!@#\$%\^&\*\(\)_\-\+=\{\}\[\]\|;:"\<\>,\.\?\\\]/', $password)) {  
        // no SPecial Chars
        $pwdfailure = "Password must contain a SPECIAL character.";
        return $pwdfailure;
    }    

And it seems to work ive tried a couple samples.  This reg expression stuff is difficult for me to grasp. i will have to put some serious time into it when i have a chance. These examples i got from forums. thanks for your help.