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Asking user to enter specific number of strings then adding each string to array?

New to java. I need to ask the user the number of strings (consisting only of upper and lowercase letters, spaces, and numbers) they want to input. These strings need to be stored in an array. Then I created a boolean method to be able to tell if those strings are palindromic (ignoring spaces and cases). If it is palindromic then I add to the result list to print later on. I am confused on how to ask the user to input that exact amount of strings and how to check each individual string. I must use StringBuilder. This is what I have so far (it's kind of a mess, sorry). I feel like I'm using the StringBuilder/array wrong, how can I fix this?
public class Palindromes {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int numOfStrings;
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating Scanner object
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
numOfStrings = scan.nextInt();
System.out.print("Enter the strings: ");
StringBuilder paliString = new StringBuilder(numOfStrings);
for(int n=0; n < paliString; n++){
paliString[n] = scan.nextLine();
scan.nextLine();
String[] stringPali = new String[numOfStrings];
StringBuilder str = paliString;
if(isPali(userString)){
paliString = append.userString;
}
System.out.println("The palindromes are: " + userString ";");
}
static boolean isPali(String userString) {
int l = 0;
int h = userString.length() - 1;
// Lowercase string
userString = userString.toLowerCase();
// Compares character until they are equal
while (l <= h) {
char getAtl = userString.charAt(l);
char getAth = userString.charAt(h);
// If there is another symbol in left
// of sentence
if (!(getAtl >= 'a' && getAtl <= 'z'))
l++;
// If there is another symbol in right
// of sentence
else if (!(getAth >= 'a' && getAth <= 'z'))
h--;
// If characters are equal
else if (getAtl == getAth) {
l++;
h--;
}
// If characters are not equal then
// sentence is not palindrome
else
return false;
}
// Returns true if sentence is palindrome
return true;
}
}
SAMPLE RESULT:
Enter the number of strings: 8
Enter the strings:
Race Car
Mountain Dew
BATMAN
Taco Cat
Stressed Desserts
Is Mayonnaise an instrument
swap paws
A Toyotas a Toyota
The palindromes are: Race Car; Taco Cat; Stressed Desserts; swap paws; A Toyotas a Toyota

As I think the best way to answer this is to help you learn in small steps, I tried to stick with your initial idea on how to solve this and edited your main method with minimal changes.
This one does the trick.
public static void main(String[] args) {
int numOfStrings;
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating Scanner object
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
numOfStrings = scan.nextInt();
scan.nextLine(); // you need this to catch the enter after the integer you entered
System.out.print("Enter the strings: ");
StringBuilder paliString = new StringBuilder();
for (int n = 0; n < numOfStrings; n++) {
String userString = scan.nextLine();
if (isPali(userString)) {
if (paliString.length() > 0) {
paliString.append("; ");
}
paliString.append(userString);
}
}
System.out.println("The palindromes are: " + paliString);
}
Key changes:
I added scan.nextLine(); right after reading the number of strings. This handles the newline you get when the user hits enter.
You don't need to initialize the StringBuilder with numOfStrings. This just preallocates the size of the StringBuilder in characters. Not the number of strings. Either way, it's not necessary. StringBuilder grows as needed.
I suggest you inspect what I did inside the for-loop. This was the biggest mess and changed significantly.
Last but not least: Writing the result needs to be outside of the for-loop, after all palindromes have been added to the StringBuilder.
Edit
Based on your comment, in this next iteration, I changed the usage of StringBuilder to the usage of an ArrayList. (Which is something completely different)
I am using it here because Lists in Java grow on demand. And since the number of palindromes is probably not equal to the number of input strings, this is the way to go. To really assign it to an array, one could always call String[] paliStringsArray = paliStrings.toArray(new String[]{}); but as ArrayLists already use an underlying array and are not necessary to to generate the output you want, I didn't put it into the new version.
Please compare the differences of this step to the previous version. I also added this String.join("; ", paliStrings) part, which creates the output you want.
public static void main(String[] args) {
int numOfStrings;
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating Scanner object
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
numOfStrings = scan.nextInt();
scan.nextLine(); // you need this to catch the enter after the integer you entered
System.out.print("Enter the strings: ");
List<String> paliStrings = new ArrayList<>();
for (int n = 0; n < numOfStrings; n++) {
String userString = scan.nextLine();
if (isPali(userString)) {
paliStrings.add(userString);
}
}
System.out.println("The palindromes are: " + String.join("; ", paliStrings));
}
And now to the last step. Arvind Kumar Avinash actually solved a part that I also missed in the initial question. (I'll read more carefully in the future). He was validating the user input. So for the last iteration, I added his validation code in a modified way. I put it into a method as I think that makes things clearer and gets rid of the necessity of a the boolean valid variable.
public static void main(String[] args) {
int numOfStrings;
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating Scanner object
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
numOfStrings = scan.nextInt();
scan.nextLine(); // you need this to catch the enter after the integer you entered
System.out.print("Enter the strings: ");
List<String> paliStrings = new ArrayList<>();
for (int n = 0; n < numOfStrings; n++) {
String userString = readNextLine(scan);
if (isPali(userString)) {
paliStrings.add(userString);
}
}
System.out.println("The palindromes are: " + String.join("; ", paliStrings));
}
static String readNextLine(Scanner scanner) {
while (true) {
String userString = scanner.nextLine();
if (userString.matches("[A-Za-z0-9 ]+")) {
return userString;
} else {
System.out.println("Error: invalid input.");
}
}
}

I need to ask the user the number of strings (consisting only of upper
and lowercase letters, spaces, and numbers) they want to input. These
strings need to be stored in an array.
I have done the above part of your question. I hope, this will give you direction to move forward.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean valid = true;
int numOfStrings = 0;
do {
valid = true;
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
try {
numOfStrings = Integer.parseInt(scan.nextLine());
} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("Error: invalid input.");
valid = false;
}
} while (!valid);
String[] stringPali = new String[numOfStrings];
String input;
for (int i = 0; i < numOfStrings; i++) {
do {
valid = true;
System.out.print("Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: ");
input = scan.nextLine();
if (!input.matches("[A-Za-z0-9 ]+")) {
System.out.println("Error: invalid input.");
valid = false;
}
} while (!valid);
stringPali[i] = input;
}
}
}
A sample run:
Enter the number of strings: a
Error: invalid input.
Enter the number of strings: 3
Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: Arvind
Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: Kumar Avinash
Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: !#£$%^&*()_+
Error: invalid input.
Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: Hello #
Error: invalid input.
Enter a string consisting of only letters and digits: Hello 123
Feel free to comment in case of any doubt/issue.
Wish you all the best!
[Update]
Based on your request, I have posted the following update which asks for the strings only once and then allows the user to enter all the strings one-by-one:
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean valid = true;
int numOfStrings = 0;
do {
valid = true;
System.out.print("Enter the number of strings: ");
try {
numOfStrings = Integer.parseInt(scan.nextLine());
} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("Error: invalid input.");
valid = false;
}
} while (!valid);
String[] stringPali = new String[numOfStrings];
String input;
System.out.println("Enter " + numOfStrings + " strings consisting of only letters and digits: ");
for (int i = 0; i < numOfStrings; i++) {
do {
valid = true;
input = scan.nextLine();
if (!input.matches("[A-Za-z0-9 ]+")) {
System.out.println("Error: invalid input.");
valid = false;
}
} while (!valid);
stringPali[i] = input;
}
}
}
A sample run:
Enter the number of strings: 3
Enter 3 strings consisting of only letters and digits:
Arvind
Kumar
He$ll0
Error: invalid input.
Avinash
Feel free to comment in case of any doubt.

save several names in a string array [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Scanner is skipping nextLine() after using next() or nextFoo()?
(24 answers)
Closed 3 years ago.
The question is that write a class named Seyyed includes a method named seyyed. I should save the name of some people in a String array in main method and calculate how many names begin with "Seyyed". I wrote the following code. But the output is unexpected. The problem is at line 10 where the sentence "Enter a name : " is printed two times at the first time.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Seyyed {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter the number of names :");
int n = in.nextInt();
String[] names = new String[n];
for (int i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {
System.out.println("Enter a name : ");
names[i] = in.nextLine();
}
int s = seyyed(names);
System.out.println("There are " + s + " Seyyed");
in.close();
}
static int seyyed(String[] x) {
int i = 0;
for (String s : x)
if (s.startsWith("Seyyed"))
i++;
return i;
}
}
for example When I enter 3 to add 3 names the program 2 times repeats the sentence "Enter a name : " and the output is something like this:
Enter the number of names :3
Enter a name :
Enter a name :
Seyyed Saber
Enter a name :
Ahmad Ali
There are 1 Seyyed
I can enter 2 names while I expect to enter 3 names.

The problem occurs as you hit the enter key, which is a newline \n character. nextInt() consumes only the integer, but it skips the newline \n. To get around this problem, you may need to add an additional input.nextLine() after you read the int, which can consume the \n.
Right after in.nextInt(); just add in.nextLine(); to consume the extra \n from your input. This should work.
Original answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/14452649/7621786

When you enter the number, you also press the Enter key, which does an "\n" input value, which is captured by your first nextLine() method.
To prevent that, you should insert an nextLine() in your code to consume the "\n" character after you read the int value.
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter the number of names :");
int n = in.nextInt();
in.nextLine();
String[] names = new String[n];
Good answer for the same issue: https://stackoverflow.com/a/7056782/4983264

nextInt() will consume all the characters of the integer but will not touch the end of line character. So when you say nextLine() for the first time in the loop it will read the eol left from the previous scanInt(), so basically reading an empty string. To fix that use a nextLine() before the loop to clear the scanner or use a different scanner for Strings and int.

Try this one:
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter the number of names :");
int n = in.nextInt();
in.nextLine();
String[] names = new String[n];
for (int i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {
System.out.println("Enter a name : ");
names[i] = in.nextLine();
}
int s = seyyed(names);
System.out.println("There are " + s + " Seyyed");
in.close();
}
static int seyyed(String[] x) {
int i = 0;
for (String s : x)
if (s.startsWith("Seyyed"))
i++;
return i;
}

Storing user input in a string array

I am a beginner to java. I try to write a program to read a series of words from the command-line arguments, and find the index of the first match of a given word. Like user can enter "I love apple", and the given word is "apple". The program will display "The index of the first match of ‘apple’ is 2".
What I did so far does not work. Is it my way of storing the input into the string array not correct?
import java.util.Scanner;
public class test {
public static void main(String [] args) {
System.out.println("Enter sentence: ");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
int num=1;
String sentence[]=new String[num];
for(int i=0; i< num; i++) {
sentence[i] = input; // store the user input into the array.
num = num+1;
}
System.out.println("Enter the given words to find the index of its first match: ");
Scanner sc2 = new Scanner(System.in);
String key = sc2.next();
for(int j=0; j<num; j++) {
while (sentence[j].equals(key)) {
System.out.println("The index of the first match of "+key+" is "+j);
}
}
}
}

String array is not required in your solution.
Try this :-
System.out.println("enter sentence ");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
System.out.println("enter the given word to fin the index ");
sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String toBeMatched = sc.nextLine();
if (input.contains(toBeMatched)) {
System.out.println("index is " + input.indexOf(toBeMatched));
} else {
System.out.println("doesn't contain string");
}

I have made the following changes to make your code work. Note you were storing the input string incorrectly. In your code, the entire code was being stored as the first index in the array. You don't need the first for-loop as we can use the function .split() to distinguish each word into a different index in the array. Rest of the code stays as it is.
public class ConfigTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Enter sentence: ");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
// Use this to split the input into different indexes of the array
String[] sentence = input.split(" ");
System.out.println("Enter the given words to find the index of its first match: ");
Scanner sc2 = new Scanner(System.in);
String key = sc2.next();
for (int i = 0; i < sentence.length; i++) {
if (sentence[i].equals(key)) {
System.out.println("The index of the first match of " + key + " is " + i);
}
}
}
}

I think you have a scope problem. sentence[] is declared and instantiated in your first forloop. Try moving the declaration outside of the loop and you should do away with the error.
I also noticed a couple of errors. You could try this
public static void main(String[] args) {
// TODO code application logic here
System.out.println("Enter Sentence");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
String sentence[] = input.split("\\s");
System.out.println("Enter Word");
Scanner sc2 = new Scanner(System.in);
String key = sc2.next();
int index = 0;
for(String word : sentence)
{
if(word.equals(key))
{
System.out.println("The index of the first match of " + key + " is " + index);
break;
}
index++;
}
}
Turtle

sentence variable is only defined inside the for loop, it needs to be declared outside it
You can use the first Scanner (sc) declared variable again instead of declaring another one (sc2)
sentence[i] = input -- will mean -- sentence[0] = "I love apple"
Scanner variable can do all the work for you for the input into the array instead of a for loop
String[] a = sc. nextLine(). split(" ");
This will scan an input of new line and separate each string separated by a space into each array.
System.out.println("Enter sentence: ");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String[] sentence = sc. nextLine(). split(" ");
System.out.println("Enter the given words to find the index of its first match: ");
String key = sc.nextLine();
for(int j=0; j<num; j++) {
if (sentence[j].matches(key)) {
System.out.println("The index of the first match of "+ key +" is "+ j);
}
}

Declare the String [] sentence outside the for loop. It is not visible outside the first for block.
The sentence array is created over and over again during the iteration of the for loop. The loop is not required to get the String from the command line.
Edited my answer and removed the use of any for loops, Arrays.asList() will take the words array and fetch the index of the word from the resulting List.
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
System.out.println("Enter sentence: ");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
System.out.println("Enter the given word to find the index of its first match: ");
Scanner wordInput = new Scanner(System.in);
String key = wordInput.next();
String[] words = input.split(" ");
int occurence = Arrays.asList(words).indexOf(key);
if(occurence != -1){
System.out.println(String.format("Index of first occurence of the word is %d", occurence));
}
}

You just need to declare sentence array outside the for loop, as for now, the issue is of scope.For more on the scope of a variable in java . Also, this is not you intend to do, you intended to take input as a command line.
So, the input which you will get will come in String[] args. For more on command line arguments check here.

java characters in a string

so my problem is that I need to get the user to enter a string. then they will enter a character that they want counted. So the program is supposed to count how many times the character they entered will appear in the string, this is my issue. If someone can give me some information as to how to do this, it'll be greatly appreciated.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class LetterCounter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner keyboard= new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("please enter a word");//get the word from the user
String word= keyboard.nextLine();
System.out.println("Enter a character");//Ask the user to enter the character they wan counted in the string
String character= keyboard.nextLine();
}
}

Here is a solution taken from this previously asked question and edited to better fit your situation.
Either have the user enter a char, or take the first character from
the string they entered using character.chatAt(0).
Use word.length to figure out how long the string is
Create a for loop and use word.charAt() to count how many times your character appears.
System.out.println("please enter a word");//get the word from the user
String word= keyboard.nextLine();
System.out.println("Enter a character");//Ask the user to enter the character they want counted in the string
String character = keyboard.nextLine();
char myChar = character.charAt(0);
int charCount = 0;
for (int i = 1; i < word.length();i++)
{
if (word.charAt(i) == myChar)
{
charCount++;
}
}
System.out.printf("It appears %d times",charCount);

This should do it. What it does is that it gets a string to look at, gets a character to look at, iterates through the string looking for matches, counts the number of matches, and then returns the information. There are more elegant ways to do this (for example, using a regex matcher would also work).
#SuppressWarnings("resource") Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter a string:\t");
String word = scanner.nextLine();
System.out.print("Enter a character:\t");
String character = scanner.nextLine();
char charVar = 0;
if (character.length() > 1) {
System.err.println("Please input only one character.");
} else {
charVar = character.charAt(0);
}
int count = 0;
for (char x : word.toCharArray()) {
if (x == charVar) {
count++;
}
}
System.out.println("Character " + charVar + " appears " + count + (count == 1 ? " time" : " times"));

Java - Storing Several string inputs using a loop and input.nextline();

I'm trying to get a set of string statements (which can include spaces) into a string array. The number of statements will be decided by the input of the user.
So I thought of looping the input.nextline(); function.
But I think as soon as enter is hit it is taken as \n to all the loops..
Is there any better way to do this?
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("How many Inputs??");
numOfInputs = input.nextInt();
String[] dataStore = new String[numOfInputs];
System.out.println("Input Strings");
for(i=0;i<numOfInputs;i++){
System.out.print("Input "+(i+1)+ " = ");
dataStore[i] = input.next();
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("How many Inputs??");
int numOfInputs = input.nextInt();
String[] dataStore = new String[numOfInputs];
System.out.println("Input Strings");
for (int i = 0; i < numOfInputs; i++) {
dataStore[i] = input.next();
System.out.println("Input " + (i + 1) + " = " + dataStore[i]);
}
}
Try this . I corrected the mistakes.

Add this to the bottom after the for loop, your code is working fine:
for(String str : dataStore) {
System.out.println(str);
}