Having an incedibly tough time with a loop - java

I've copied part of the instructions below, and I can code pretty much every part on its own, but getting the control flow together is giving me massive doubts about my ability.
One of my biggest problems is the int gameChanger. Im supposed to immediately verify if it is a integer or not, and loop back if its not. But then Im also supposed to check to see if thebuser ever types "exit". But the input variable for my scanner instance is an integer... So Im stumped. I can use a try catch to check the missmatchexception once the input is being read in, but that doesnt solve the exit issue nor am I able to come up with solid logic to get the try catch to loop back if it indeed isnt an integer. Im thinking a do while loop but I havent gotten it to work.
Instructions:

You can whether the input is a number before attempting to consume it.
int num;
while (true) {
if (scanner.hasNextInt()) {
num = scanner.nextInt();
break;
} else {
// read whatever is there instead.
String line = scanner.nextLine();
if (line.equals("exit"))
System.exit(0);
System.out.println("Please enter a number");
}
}
System.out.println("Number entered " + num);

This gets the job done. Try it out.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class MyCode
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String gameInput = ".";
int gameNumber = 0;
boolean inputLoop = true;
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
while(inputLoop == true)
{
try
{
System.out.print("Please enter a valid game number: ");
gameInput = input.next();
if(gameInput.equals("exit"))
{
System.out.println("Program will now end. Goodbye.");
inputLoop = false;
input.close();
}
gameNumber = Integer.parseInt(gameInput);
if(gameNumber >= 20001 && gameNumber <= 21230)
{
System.out.println("You have inputted a valid game number.");
inputLoop = false;
input.close();
}
}
catch(NumberFormatException e)
{
if(!gameInput.equals("exit"))
{
System.err.println("Invalid game number. Please try again.");
}
}
}
}
}

Related

More efficient way to handle user input data validation?

In Java, I have two while loops to validate user input and continuously prompt the user if they input the wrong data type. In this program, I only have 2 questions, but I can imagine a scenario where I have more than 10, at which point 10 while loops would be cumbersome code to read and maintain. Is there a more efficient way to check for errors while continuing to prompt the user? My initial thought is to package the while loop and error checks into a separate class function and call it when input is requested.
import java.util.*;
public class IncreaseAge {
public static void main(String args[]){
Scanner userInput = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean validInput = true;
String coolName = "Adam";
int coolAge = 0;
while(validInput){
try{
System.out.print("Hello, what is your first name? ");
coolName = userInput.nextLine();
validInput = false;
}
catch(Exception error){
System.out.println("Invalid input, try again!");
userInput.next();
}
}
validInput = true;
while(validInput){
try{
System.out.print("Hi "+ coolName + "! How old are you?");
coolAge = userInput.nextInt();
validInput = false;
}
catch(Exception error){
System.out.println("Invalid input, try again!");
userInput.next();
}
}
System.out.println("Hello "+ coolName + ", in ten years you will be " + (coolAge+10));
userInput.close();
}
}
Just implement private int getIntegerInput(String prompt) and private String getStringInput(String prompt), each of which will more or less be the same as the two loops you've already coded.
This is a common and frequent way to avoid code repetition - implement "helper" routines to be used in writing your intended functionality.
Even if you don't have repetition to worry about, it's a useful partitioning of code, making it easier to understand - for example, the "get an input" code is clearly distinct from the "process the input" code.
Example:
private String getStringInput(Scanner scanner, String prompt) {
String input = null;
boolean validInput = false;
while (!validInput) {
try {
System.out.print(prompt);
input = scanner.nextLine();
validInput = !input.isEmpty();
}
catch (Exception error) {
System.out.println("Invalid input, try again!");
}
}
return input;
}
Note that I fixed the use of 'validInput' to make sense, and I assume you want to reprompt on an empty input line.
Usage is then like
String coolName = getStringInput(userInput, "What is your first name? ");

Write a program that will give the use prompt to enter two doubles value

Professor requires us to write a program that will give the user prompt to enter two float (or double) values. If the values inputted are correct then display the inputted two values. If user enters characters instead of numbers or if they enter invalid numbers then the program will display the error message and ask the user to re-enter the correct values again. It only exits when the correct input is received and displayed.
However, I wrote a program that will only work if the user input the two right doubles. Can someone helps me to change the line about catching errors? Thanks.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class FiveSecond {
static void printMenu() {
System.out.println("Welcome to get two doubles program:");
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean valid = false;
double first = 0;
double second = 0;
printMenu();
while(!valid) {
System.out.print("Enter two doubles, seperate by space ");
try {
first = Double.parseDouble(scan.next());
second = Double.parseDouble(scan.next());
} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("Try again");
}
valid = true;
}
System.out.println("You entered valid choice: " + first + " " +second);
System.out.println("Thank you for giving your choice.");
scan.close();
}
}
Try this:
catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("Try again");
continue;
}
In addition to the previous comments, you have to be careful, because the scanner will 'remember' a previously correct double if you don't reset it :
EDITED: Thanks to #Stultuske comment
while (!valid) {
System.out.print("Enter two doubles, seperate by space ");
try {
first = Double.parseDouble(scan.next());
second = Double.parseDouble(scan.next());
valid = true;
}
catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("Try again");
scan.nextLine(); // <------- Important line
}
}

About some simple exception handling in Java

There are several questions I would like to ask, please refer the comment part I have added in the code, Thanks.
package test;
import java.util.InputMismatchException;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Test {
/* Task:
prompt user to read two integers and display the sum. prompt user to read the number again if the input is incorrect */
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean accept_a = false;
boolean accept_b = false;
int a;
int b;
while (accept_a == false) {
try {
System.out.print("Input A: ");
a = input.nextInt(); /* 1. Let's enter "abc" to trigger the exception handling part first*/
accept_a = true;
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) {
System.out.println("Input is Wrong");
input.nextLine(); /* 2. I am still not familiar with nextLine() parameter after reading the java manual, would you mind to explain more? All I want to do is "Clear Scanner Buffer" so it wont loop for the println and ask user to input A again, is it a correct way to do it? */
}
}
while (accept_b == false) {
try {
System.out.print("Input B: ");
b = input.nextInt();
accept_b = true;
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) { /*3. Since this is similar to the above situation, is it possible to reuse the try-catch block to handling b (or even more input like c d e...) exception? */
System.out.println("Input is Wrong");
input.nextLine();
}
}
System.out.println("The sum is " + (a + b)); /* 4. Why a & b is not found?*/
}
}
I am still not familiar with nextLine() parameter after reading the java manual, would you mind to explain more? All I want to do is "Clear Scanner Buffer" so it wont loop for the println and ask user to input A again, is it a correct way to do it?
The use of input.nextLine(); after input.nextInt(); is to clear the remaining content from the input stream, as (at least) the new line character is still in the buffer, leaving the contents in the buffer will cause input.nextInt(); to continue throwing an Exception if it's no cleared first
Since this is similar to the above situation, is it possible to reuse the try-catch block to handling b (or even more input like c d e...) exception?
You could, but what happens if input b is wrong? Do you ask the user to re-enter input a? What happens if you have 100 inputs and they get the last one wrong?You'd actually be better off writing a method which did this for, that is, one which prompted the user for a value and returned that value
For example...
public int promptForIntValue(String prompt) {
int value = -1;
boolean accepted = false;
do {
try {
System.out.print(prompt);
value = input.nextInt();
accepted = true;
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) {
System.out.println("Input is Wrong");
input.nextLine();
}
} while (!accepted);
return value;
}
Why a & b is not found?
Because they've not been initialised and the compiler can not be sure that they have a valid value...
Try changing it something more like.
int a = 0;
int b = 0;
Yes, it's okay. And will consume the non-integer input.
Yes. If we extract it to a method.
Because the compiler believes they might not be initialized.
Let's simplify and extract a method,
private static int readInt(String name, Scanner input) {
while (true) {
try {
System.out.printf("Input %s: ", name);
return input.nextInt();
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) {
System.out.printf("Input %s is Wrong%n", input.nextLine());
}
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
int a = readInt("A", input);
int b = readInt("B", input);
System.out.println("The sum is " + (a + b));
}
I have put comment to that question line.
package test;
import java.util.InputMismatchException;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Test {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean accept_a = false;
boolean accept_b = false;
int a=0;
int b=0;
System.out.print("Input A: ");
while (accept_a == false) {
try {
a = input.nextInt(); // it looks for integer token otherwise exception
accept_a = true;
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) {
System.out.println("Input is Wrong");
input.next(); // Move to next other wise exception // you can use hasNextInt()
}
}
System.out.print("Input B: ");
while (accept_b == false) {
try {
b = input.nextInt();
accept_b = true;
} catch (InputMismatchException ex) {
System.out.println("Input is Wrong");
input.next();
}
}
System.out.println("The sum is " + (a + b)); // complier doesn't know wheather they have initialised or not because of try-catch blocks. so explicitly initialised them.
}
}
Check out this "nextLine() after nextInt()"
and initialize the variable a and b to zero
nextInt() method does not read the last newline character.

Inputing Integers error throwing

Can someone help me make this code neater. I would rather use parse int than a buffer reader. I want my code to loop until the user inputs a number. I couldn't figure out how to do this without the code printing out the same statement twice.
public void setAge()
{
try {
age = Integer.parseInt(scan.nextLine());
} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
System.out.println("What is your age?");
this.setAge();
}
}
Alright, my question is unclear. I am unsure of how to handle the error that a scanner throws when you don't input an integer. How do I handle this? I found "NumberFormatException" in a different post, but I am unsure of what this does. Can anyone help me with this, or is my question still unclear?
Try this:
import java.util.InputMismatchException;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class TestScanner {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scanner = null;
int age = -1;
do {
try {
scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("What is your age?");
age = scanner.nextInt();
} catch (InputMismatchException e) {
System.out.println("Please enter a number!");
}
} while (age == -1);
System.out.println("You are " + age + " years old.");
if (scanner != null)
scanner.close();
}
}
I get this output (the first time I enter abc instead of a number to make it retry):
What is your age?
abc
Please enter a number!
What is your age?
35
You are 35 years old.
Have fun!
Use scan.nextInt(); instead of scan.nextLine();
With this, you don't need to parse the line.
EDIT: Oops, i misread your question
Number Format Exception occurs in the java code when a programmer tries to convert a String into a number. The Number might be int,float or any java numeric values.
The conversions are done by the functions Integer.parseInt.Consider if you give the value of str is "saurabh", the function call will fail to compile because "saurabh" is not a legal string representation of an int value and NumberFormatException will occurs
You could use a scanner.
You'll need to;
import java.util.*;
static Scanner console = new Scanner(System.in);
You won't need the parse statement at all.
age = console.nextInt();
EDIT: Editing my answer after seeing your edit.
I would put the entire try in a do loop. Using a new boolean variable to control when you come out of it.
boolean excep;
do {
excep = false;
try {
age = console.nextInt();
}
catch (Exception exRef) {
System.out.println("Please input an integer");
console.nextLine();
excep = true;
}
} while (excep);
The console.nextLine() just clears a line so it doesnt re-read the last input. Sometimes it's needed.
Using this i don't receive any error notifications on the running of it.
Try this:
static boolean firstTime = true;
public static void main(String[] args) {
boolean firstTime = true;
setAge();
}
public static void setAge()
{
if(firstTime)
{
System.out.println("What is your age?");
firstTime = false;
}
Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
try{
int age = scan.nextInt();
System.out.println(age);
}
catch(InputMismatchException e)
{
setAge();
}
}
if you want to print different messages you would have to do like:
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Numbers {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Numbers numbers = new Numbers();
numbers.setAge();
}
private boolean alrearyAsked = false;
private int age = 0;
static Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
public void setAge()
{
try {
age = scan.nextInt();
} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
if (alrearyAsked) {
System.out.println("you typed a wrong age, please try again.");
}
else {
System.out.println("What is your age?");
}
this.setAge();
}
}
}

Comparing User Input To Integer

I'm still in the learning part of Java. I've made a kind of guessing game. It looks like this:
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Random;
public class guessing_game {
static Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
static Random generator = new Random();
public static void main(String[] args) {
int number;
number = generator.nextInt(20);
System.out.println("Guess the number!");
game(number);
}
public static void game(int number) {
int inputStorage;
inputStorage = input.nextInt();
if (inputStorage == number) {
System.out.println("You've guessed the right number!");
}
else if (inputStorage != number) {
System.out.println("Wrong number, try again!");
game(number);
}
}
}
Now I have a problem. My little sister and I played this "game". My sister was typing on the numpad. She accidently hit the + button before pressing enter and I got some errors. My question is: How can I let my application print a line which is saying that you can only input numbers and then restarts the game stub again?
One way would be to wrap the input.nextInt() in a try catch statement and catch the exceptions that are thrown by input.nextInt(), InputMismatchException. A good tutorial for try catch statements is here if you aren't sure what I am talking about.
try {
inputStorage = input.nextInt();
} catch (InputMismatchException e){
System.out.println("invalid type");
}
Another way you can do this is:
if(input.hasNextInt()){
inputStorage = input.nextInt();
}else{
System.out.println("invalid type");
}
There is also an error with continuing the game try using a while loop with a break if the number was guessed correctly:
int inputStorage;
boolean notGuessed = true;
while(notGuessed)
{
if(input.hasNextInt()){
inputStorage = input.nextInt();
} else{
System.out.println("invalid type");
}
if (inputStorage == number) {
System.out.println("You've guessed the right number!");
notGuessed = false;
}
else if (inputStorage != number) {
System.out.println("Wrong number, try again!");
}
}
Well this is quite easy. You can accomplish it in various way.
Try this one
public static int checkInt(String strNumber) {
int Number;
try {
Number = Integer.parseInt(strNumber);
} catch (NumberFormatException ex) {
Number = -1;
}
return Number;
}
Or even simpler:
public static int checkInt(String strNumber) {
Number = Integer.parseInt(strNumber, -1);
return Number;
}
The second one is even simpler because you omit a try catch block, that is rather not correctly used in such case. Read about the functions of Integer class.
You can use a try/catch:
boolean b = true;
while (b) {
try {
inputStorage = input.nextInt();
b= false;
} catch (InputMismatchException e) {
System.out.println("Invalid input. Please enter again!");
}
}
Since the error you got was an Exceptiion: InputMismatchException.
You can explicitly handle the exception using the Exception handling mechanism in java.
Read this
Read this
to know how it actually works.
Above suggested answers are exception handling only.

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