makekey
Makekey lets you create a random string of characters for use as encryption key or password.
This string ("key") gets displayed to the screen and (by default) copied to the clipboard.
Current version: 2018-09-26 – download link below.
This program uses the conclip.ew library by Greg Haberek.
Syntax
makekey [-]length [characterset | - | % | + | *]
'length' must be a number between 1 and 64.
With option * (see below) minimim length is 6.
If 'length' is negative, the key will not be copied to the clipboard.
You can individually specify the set of characters from which the key is created, or choose from five preset options.
'characterset':
either any combination of
a = lower case letters (except l),
A = upper case letters (except I and O),
1 = numbers (except 0),
% = symbols %$+-!_
and any other characters, which stand for themselves, e.g. l I O 0 * / ( ) etc.
or one of the following shorthand symbols:
- low security, shorthand for a1, that is, lower case letters (except l) and numbers 1 to 9
% high security, shorthand for aA10%, that is upper ald lower case characters exceot l, I and O, numbers 0 to 9, and symbols %$+-!_
+ max security, shorthand for aA10%lIO&#.+:=*?'(), that is, all upper and lower case letters, numbers 0 to 9, and symbols $%-!_&#.+:=*?'()
* high security, shorthand for aA1%, at least one instance of each type of characters (upper and lower case letters, numbers, symbols) must be included
Default is medium security, aA10, that is upper and lower case letters (except l, I and O) plus numbers 0 to 9
makekey -? displays the help text and the program version.
Examples:
makekey 4 10
length is 4, key created from numbers 0 to 9, e.g. 6007
makekey 6 -
length is 6, key created from lower case letters (except l) and numbers 1 to 9, e.g. nv2ag5
makekey 12
length is 12, key created from upper and lower case letters (except l, I and O) and numbers 0 to 9, e.g. 1z3H8g5sY0ag
makekey 8 *
length is 8, key created from upper and lower case letters (except l, I and O), numbers 1 to 9, and symbols %$+-!_, all four types of characters must be included, e.g. 1!CgSG8T
Download and Installation
Download program file and documentation:
makekey.zip (version 2018-09-26)
Unpack the zip file (it contains makekey.exe and the documentation file makekey.txt) and move or copy makekey.exe to a directory that is included in the system path; you can then use it from the Windows command line. Nothing gets written to the registry. To uninstall, simply delete.
Disclaimer: I have tested this program and am using it myself, but I cannot guarantee its correct function under all circumstances.
License
This program, including the source code, is freeware. Do with it whatever you like. If you have any questions, suggestions, complaints or comments, I’d be glad to hear from you.
Source files
This program is written in Euphoria, version 4.0.5, compiled with Watcom C/C++ compiler 1.9, and compressed with upx. Euphoria is open source, and available at openeuphoria.org
Download Euphoria source files (not necessary for using the program):
History
09/26/2018 – added option *
04/10/2018 – first minor update since 2014
