Here is the code I used from the referenced link except WITH the '$number_of_characters' var pre-defined:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w -d

use Authen::Captcha;

      # create a new object
      my $captcha = Authen::Captcha->new();

      # set the data_folder. contains flatfile db to maintain state
      $captcha->data_folder('/usr/home1/user123/public_html/folder01')
+;

      # set directory to hold publicly accessable images
      $captcha->output_folder('/usr/home1/user123/public_html/folder01
+/images');

      # I created this variable's value
      my $number_of_characters = 6;

      # create a captcha. Image filename is "$md5sum.png"
      my $md5sum = $captcha->generate_code($number_of_characters);

      # check for a valid submitted captcha
      #   $code is the submitted letter combination guess from the use
+r
      #   $md5sum is the submitted md5sum from the user (that we gave 
+them)
      my $results = $captcha->check_code($code,$md5sum);
      # $results will be one of:
      #          1 : Passed
      #          0 : Code not checked (file error)
      #         -1 : Failed: code expired
      #         -2 : Failed: invalid code (not in database)
      #         -3 : Failed: invalid code (code does not match crypt)
      ##############
[download]

Let me know if you need additional info.

Thanks.

  EDIT: changed above: '$number_of_characters = 6;' to 'my $number_of_characters = 6;'

(haven't edited a Perl script much recently either...)

Hello newbie00,

your code is a copy of the SYNOPSIS part of the manual page of Authen::Captcha.

The SYNOPSIS part of a manual page to a module is meant to give a quick overview of the way a module works. The code written therein is not meant to be copied and run verbatim.

For instance, the line

my $results = $captcha->check_code($code,$md5sum);
[download]

must be run after an image has been created, displaying a random set of characters of $number_of_characters length, it's MD5 sum has been created and a user provided $code, i.e they typed the characters displayed on the image.

Image creation and verification are two sequential processes, but they are conveniently displayed in the SYNOPSIS of the module in one block.

I advise you to read the manual page of Authen::Captcha thoroughly, formulate your needs, engage in their fulfilment and come back with some code of your own.

regards,
--shmem

_($_=" "x(1<<5)."?\n".q·/)Oo.  G°\        /
                              /\_¯/(q    /
----------------------------  \__(m.====·.(_("always off the crowd"))."·
");sub _{s./.($e="'Itrs `mnsgdq Gdbj O`qkdq")=~y/"-y/#-z/;$e.e && print}

Thanks again for your reply.

I found this link:
http://search.cpan.org/src/UNRTST/Authen-Captcha-1.023/examples/README

which says to define the 'number of characters.' I did this (see code in my previous reply) but because the code was not complete, it didn't work.

Beyond what I have already, I'm at a standstill. I guess I've not had to do something like what this perl module involves. I've customized a number of scripts where the skeletal structure was available for a particular perl module or the module was simpler for me to figure out.

If someone has a working example that adds image verification either from 'Authen::Captcha' OR 'GD::SecurityImage' OR another that is not readily 'OCRable', please let me know.

Thank you.