Returning result with only 1 character to choose from

[flip111]

When string length > 1 (5) and only one character ('a') has been given the correct return value should be a string with only that character ('aaaaa'). Ok sure there is nothing random about that, but that's more likely a case to throw a logic exception or something similar.

[simensen]

@ircmaxell What do you think of this one? I see in the tests you specifically have array(1, 'a', ''), so I'm guessing there is some security reason why that makes sense over array(1, 'a', 'a'),?

[ircmaxell]

It's an invalid input. I don't think that 'aaaaa' would be a correct output. So I'd either keep the same, or throw an exception (InvalidArgumentException). Thoughts?

[simensen]

I'm of the mindset of some sort of exception might make more sense in both the case of $length == 0 and only one character in the set.

Having the possibility to pass back '' seems dangerous to me. I'm not sure what the point would ever be to allow that? If you ever pass input in that intentionally results in '' I feel like it should be an error condition. I'd vote for an exception.

Personally, if we say that it "makes sense" that you can ask for a zero length random string and to get '' back, it should make sense to ask for a six length random string that only contains the letter a. However, when asking for a six length random string and being returned '' definitely seems broken to me so I think that should be fixed. If you are OK with exceptions, I'd vote for that route.