Thread: print * instead of character

hi,

I'm new in C++. I want to know is it possible to get a string and showing * instead of characters. e.g. for getting password from user.

I asked this from one of my friends and he said that I should set something in flags, but he didn't remember exactly what should I do.

as I said I'm new in c++, I decided to ask it in here

thanks, Behzad

We get this question about 5 times a day. Use the search function.

But I couldn't find what i need. if I did I would not post this.

http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showthread.php?t=107549

from the second page

I read that topic, but I didn't get anything .
I know I'm dumb

sorry
i get it

I would use a library that is platform independant such as ncurses or something. That way you can at least easily port your code if you are so inclined.

Here's the *best* implementation I've ever seen for Windows: http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showp...94&postcount=5

gg

Someone is a little self-promoting today. It looks good to me though. So you are allowed to be self-promoting this time I have an entire conio library that I wrote a while back since its not exactly the most portable header in the world.

I'm using this code. it seems perfect

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <stdexcept>
#include <string>
#include <windows.h>
using namespace std;

string getpassword( const string& prompt = "Enter password> " )
  {
  string result;

  // Set the console mode to no-echo, not-line-buffered input
  DWORD mode, count;
  HANDLE ih = GetStdHandle( STD_INPUT_HANDLE  );
  HANDLE oh = GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE );
  if (!GetConsoleMode( ih, &mode ))
    throw runtime_error(
      "getpassword: You must be connected to a console to use this program.\n"
      );
  SetConsoleMode( ih, mode & ~(ENABLE_ECHO_INPUT | ENABLE_LINE_INPUT) );

  // Get the password string
  WriteConsoleA( oh, prompt.c_str(), prompt.length(), &count, NULL );
  char c;
  while (ReadConsoleA( ih, &c, 1, &count, NULL) && (c != '\r') && (c != '\n'))
    {
    if (c == '\b')
      {
      if (result.length())
        {
        WriteConsoleA( oh, "\b \b", 3, &count, NULL );
        result.erase( result.end() -1 );
        }
      }
    else
      {
      WriteConsoleA( oh, "*", 1, &count, NULL );
      result.push_back( c );
      }
    }

  // Restore the console mode
  SetConsoleMode( ih, mode );

  return result;
  }

int main()
  {
  try {

    string password = getpassword( "Enter a test password> " );
    cout << "\nYour password is " << password << endl;

    }
  catch (exception& e)
    {
    cerr << e.what();
    return 1;
    }

  return 0;
  }

not using conio.h anymore.

It looks good to me I am not opposed to using the Win32 API. If you patrol the forums enough you will see this question posted frequently. Now you can simply supply anyone who asks with a link to your code

[edit]Wait... why are you using ReadConsoleA() and WriteConsoleA() instead of just ReadConsole() and WriteConsole()? Just don't compile it for unicode and you should be fine.[/edit]

Well I have no issue with writing websites emails about the nature of their coding. So that is on my todo list