How does one check if values of one array do not equal the values of another array?

Question

I know, TL;DR - please bear with me.

This Javascript function is supposed to take in two strings inputted by the user (username, password), guess both fields correctly using the random function to generate random character guesses (out 92 characters) that are stored in two "guess arrays," and also tell how many times (trials) it took to guess both your username and password in the same instance by comparing the values of two sets of two arrays: the guess array for the username vs the user inputted array for the username, and the guess array for the password vs the user inputted array for the password.

The main line of code I'm having trouble with:

while (userNameArray != userNameGuessArray && passwordArray != passwordGuessArray){

Normally (without the second set of arrays), I would handle this situation by nesting the "while loop" in a "for loop" like so:

for (x = 0; x < userNameArray.length; x++){

while (userNameArray[x] != userNameGuessArray[x]){

Only problem is that this time I need to check another set of arrays in addition to the first set of arrays.

My question is:

If not with "!=" or with the above code, how does one check if two arrays don't share the exact same variables?

var username = document.getElementById("your_Username").value;
var userNameArray = username.split("");
var userNameGuessArray = [];

var password = document.getElementById("your_Password").value;
var passwordArray = password.split("");
var passwordGuessArray = [];

var alphabet = ["a","b","c","d","e","f","g","h","i","j","k","l","m","n","o","p","q","r","s","t","u",
"v","w","x","y","z","A","B","C","D","E","F","G","H","I","J","K","L","M","N","O","P","Q","R","S","T",
"U","V","W","X","Y","Z","0","1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","`","~","!","@","#","$","%","^","&",
"*","(",")","[","]","{","}","_","-","|","\\","'",'"',",",".",":",";","<",">","/","?"];  

var trials = 0;



    while (userNameArray != userNameGuessArray && passwordArray != passwordGuessArray){
        trials++;
        userNameGuessArray = [];
        passwordGuessArray = [];
            for (z = 0; z < userNameArray.length; z++){
                userNameGuessArray.push(alphabet[Math.floor(Math.random()*92)]);
            }
            for (y = 0; y < passwordArray.length; y++){
                passwordGuessArray.push(alphabet[Math.floor(Math.random()*92)]);
            }
    }

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

So your essentially trying to pick random letters until it guesses the password? — Trevor Clarke
– Trevor Clarke, Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 6:44
are you generating guess arrays on the fly while keep generating guesses to match user's input? — gurvinder372
– gurvinder372, Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 6:47
Yes, I want the function to guess the username and password in the same instance, so that in an alphabet of 92 characters it takes an average of 92 * 92 attempts to guess an input of a single character username and a single character password. I already got a function working that successfully guesses the user's input from a single <input> tag. It takes an average of 92 trials/guesses for a one character string such as "a". I'm going to try the solution 'sdsmith' left me and let you guys know how it goes by tomorrow. Also yes, 'gurvinder372', it clears and repopulates the array with push(). — Mangofett
– Mangofett, Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 7:18

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:31:27Z

1

You can write a helper function that checks if the arrays are equal. See this post for such a function.

Then you can say:

while(!arrayEqual(arr1, arr2) && !arrayEqual(arr3, arr4))

EDIT:
You should read up on refactoring, which is a method of breaking of reorganising code into simpler, reusable, units.

Refactoring is what we did here. Checking that arrays are equal is not dependant on the functionality of your program, so we can break it off into it's own function. This reduces the code in your existing function, improves readability, and allows other parts of your code to reuse the arrayEqual function.

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:31

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Mar 26, 2016 at 6:59

Stewart Smith

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6 Comments

Mangofett Over a year ago

Will try this and get back to you. Thanks a ton for your input!

Mangofett Over a year ago

I believe so, and that I am on the verge of a breakthrough. Do the helper functions have to be placed outside and above the main function, inside the main function after the while loop, or in any special place at all? I will revise the main post after you reply to this message.

Stewart Smith Over a year ago

The function should be defined in some scope accessible to where it is needed. It is simple enough to define it in the global scope above the main function.

Mangofett Over a year ago

I got it to work! I'm a newbie, should I "answer your question" or edit my original post? Your answer helped me immensely. I didn't at all think to use separate functions for this issue.

Stewart Smith Over a year ago

Glad I could help. Mark my answer as the accepted answer to close the question.

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