Generate code without guess

Here is something I use.

PHP Code:

   public function generate_code() {
        // generate a randomish code
        $code = bin2hex(pack('N', microtime(TRUE))).bin2hex(get_instance()->security->get_random_bytes(4));
        return $code;
    } 


It was suggested to me here on these forums somewhere by Narf ages ago but I use it all the time on almost every site I do. It is great for generating unique codes for urls, for all sorts of records, rather than using id. I have it in a functions model that has all my useful functions in. You could use more random bytes if you wanted a longer code.

Generates something like: 59aad953a91644ce

Hope it helps,

Paul

PS This is not for security, this is just to generate a code I can use instead of an ID, i.e.

Code:

Not: www.mysite.co.uk/view/record/4
But: www.mysite.co.uk/view/record/59aad953a91644ce

You still have to check it is unique when storing, and when using to retrieve a record that the user has permission to access it.