"""
Author: Michel Peltriaux
Organization: Struktur- und Genehmigungsdirektion Nord, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Contact: michel.peltriaux@sgdnord.rlp.de
Created on: 09.11.20

"""
import random
import string


def generate_random_string(length: int, only_numbers: bool = False) -> str:
    """
    Generates a random string of variable length
    """
    if only_numbers:
        elements = string.digits
    else:
        elements = string.ascii_letters

    ret_val = "".join(random.choice(elements) for i in range(length))
    return ret_val