[Tutor] Generating random alphanumeric codes

[Martin A. Brown]

Hello,

 : Would anyone have tips on how to generate random 4-digit 
 : alphanumeric codes in python? Also, how does one calculate the 
 : number of possible combinations?

Here are some thoughts that come to my mind:

  import string
  import random

  # -- technique #1, using random.choice
  print ''.join([random.choice(string.lowercase) for x in range(4)])

  # -- technique #2, using random.shuffle
  t = [ x for x in string.lowercase ]
  random.shuffle(t)
  ''.join(t[0:4])

  # -- technique #3, using random.sample
  ''.join(random.sample(string.lowercase,4))

I would be quite surprised if there were not more efficient ways of 
accomplishing this.

-Martin

-- 
Martin A. Brown
http://linux-ip.net/