How to continue loop inside of Try Catch for Guessing game - java

So my problem is that i don't know how to continue my program when i do the try and catch for input errors. I tried using the "continue;" code after my catch statement but that just loops my program uncontrollably. I need the program to start where it left off after the user does an incorrect input. Any help would be appreciated. Note that this was an assignment BUT I'm going above and beyond by handling junk in my code.
//Import library
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
//File name
public class GuessingGame
{
//Main throws Input and output error
public static void main (String [] args) throws IOException
{
//inputs for users
Scanner in = new Scanner (System.in);
Scanner i = new Scanner (System.in);
//variables for the loop, random number, character and counter
int guess = 0;
int rnd;
char decision;
boolean loop = false;
//random number generator
Random random = new Random();
rnd = random.nextInt(100) + 1;
//loops the guess and input
while (!loop){
try{
System.out.println(rnd);
//prompt the user
System.out.println(" Please guess a number between 1-100. Press 0 to exit.");
int num = in.nextInt();
//if statements
if (num==0)
{
//when user types '0' it ends the program
System.exit(0);
System.out.println("You gave up!.... Reseting program...");
}
else if (num>rnd)
{
//prints too big, adds to counter 'guess'
System.out.println("The number is too big!");
guess++;
}
else if (num<rnd)
{
//prints too small, adds to counter 'guess'
System.out.println("The number is too small!");
guess++;
}
else
{
//prints correct, adds to counter, dsiplays # of guesses and ends loop
System.out.println("You guessed the number right!!");
guess++;
System.out.print(" # of guesses: " + guess);
//Note**: i could've just put 'break;' but the compiler would'nt read the rest of the code below
loop = true;
//loops the case untill correct input is chosen either 'Y' or 'N'
while(true){
//prompt the user if they want to play again
System.out.println(" Would you like to play again? Y/N?");
decision = i.nextLine().charAt(0);
switch (decision) {
case 'Y':
case 'y':
//calls main, basically restarts the game
GuessingGame.main(args);
break;
case 'N':
case 'n':
System.out.println("Bye!");
//exits the program completely
System.exit(0);
break;
default:
//if incorrect input, this prints
System.out.println("Please enter a Yes or No <Y/N>");
}
}
}
}
//catches input errors
catch (Exception e){
System.out.println("Only numbers!!!");
//GuessingGame.main(args);
continue;
}
}
}

Try this move your catch up because you are only testing the input. Also add in.nextLine() in your catch to eat up the character that is left behind.
while (!loop){
int num;
try{
System.out.println(rnd);
//prompt the user
System.out.println(" Please guess a number between 1-100. Press 0 to exit.");
num = in.nextInt();
}
catch (Exception e){
System.out.println("Only numbers!!!");
//GuessingGame.main(args);
in.nextLine();
continue;
}

Scanner by default splits the standard input by spaces and keeps an index of how many substrings have been parsed. The specific method you call (.nextWhatever) will attempt to parse the next string in line to its expected type and will only increase the index if it's successful; if there's no stream left to parse, it will await new input.
The reason your loop is infinite is because it failed to parse the token to an integer and isn't increasing the index. There are two ways to skip the invalid input. nextLine() will skip the rest of the stream waiting. For example, if the input was "1 abc 2"
in.nextInt(); // equals 1
// in.nextInt() would fail
in.nextLine(); // equals "abc 2" and if put in your catch would clear the stream
However, if you want to keep trying subsequent tokens (in this case skip "abc" but try "2", which is valid), next() is more appropriate because it will just skip over one token.
try(){
// validate input
int num = in.nextInt();
}
catch(Exception e){
System.out.println("Ignoring your faulty input");
in.next();
}

Related

Endless loop - scanner.hasNextInt() inside a while loop

The questions are in the comments of the code, sorry for that, I thought it's neater, as the flow is important, I guess...
import java.util.Scanner;
public class ReadingUserInput {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Please, enter 10 numbers, for example, from 1 to 100!");
int number = 0;
int total = 0;
int counter = 0;
while (counter < 10) {
System.out.println("Enter number #" + (counter + 1));
boolean hasNextInt = scanner.hasNextInt(); // here we open the prompt for user to enter the value/s*
// internally, we are ready to check if the input is going to be int
// user types the value/s and clicks enter
// let's presume, he/she typed '3'
// internally, user's input is like that (if Windows**) - '3\n'
// because when user presses Enter - \n is added to what he/she typed
if (hasNextInt) { // the app checks, ant it's int, that is, it's OK (true)
number = scanner.nextInt(); //here the application grabs user's input
//but, internally, it grabs only '3', because 'nextInt()' grabs only ints
// and doesn't "care" about the new feed/line - \n - character
// so, '\n' is left in Scanner's buffer!
counter++;
total += number;
} else {
System.out.println("Invalid Input! Try again!");
}
//scanner.nextLine(); // let's presume, this commented line, on the left of this line of comment, is absent in our code
// the flow of our code goes to boolean hasNextInt = scanner.hasNextInt();
// and again internally, we are ready to check if the input is going to be int
// and again the user is prompted (by a blinking cursor) to type his/her input
// and at this moment user types either a numeric again or a non-numeric character (a letter/letters)
// let's presume he/she is typing '4'
// and again, internally, user's input is actually like that (if Windows**) - '4\n'
// but scanner.hasNextInt() says 'OK', for the int is there! and it doesn't care about '\n'
//
// Now, let's presume that user (this time or next time) types 'a'
// Do we actually have 'a\n' ???
// and this time scanner.hasNextInt() says 'Alarm' - 'false'
// thus the input doesn't go to number = scanner.nextInt();
// So, does it mean that 'a\n' (or 'a') remains in Scanner's buffer???
// and it (scanner.hasNextInt()) kicks us to 'else'
// and we have an endless loop:
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Invalid Input! Try again!
//Enter number #...
//Why?
// Is there still 'a' (or 'a\n') and scanner.hasNextInt() throws the flow to 'else' endlessly,
// because "The scanner does not advance past any input"* ???
//
// or: there's only '\n', and again its not int, and we result in endless loop ???
// And finally, is that a different case? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xqzmDyLWvs
// And PS: Is there anything wrong in my description in the comments?
// So what do we 'consume' by scanner.nextLine(); ???
}
scanner.close();
System.out.println("Thank you, your total is " + total);
}
}
// *This is from Oracle :(https://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/util/Scanner.html#hasNextInt%28%29)
"hasNextInt
public boolean hasNextInt()
Returns true if the next token in this scanner's input can be interpreted as an int value in the default radix using the nextInt() method. The scanner does not advance past any input."
// **https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z0000019KZDSA2
Create another scanner object instead and forget about what is left in the internal buffer.
public class ReadingUserInput {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Please, enter 10 numbers, for example, from 1 to 100!");
int number = 0;
int total = 0;
int counter = 0;
while (counter < 10) {
System.out.println("Enter number #" + (counter + 1));
boolean hasNextInt = scanner.hasNextInt();
if (hasNextInt) {
number = scanner.nextInt();
counter++;
total += number;
} else {
System.out.println("Invalid Input! Try again!");
scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
}
}
scanner.close();
System.out.println("Thank you, your total is " + total);
}
}

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
}
}

Do while goes infinite with try catch

I have a problem when trying to execute try-catch statement inside do while loop.I ask user to first enter letter and then a number and if he enters number correctly the program ends.If he enters letter instead of number the program should say "An error occurred please enter number " and ask user to enter number again but every time i type letter instead of number the program goes into an infinite loop and won't allow me to enter new value.
And just goes
"An error occurred you must enter number"
"Please enter number".
public class OmaBrisem {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner tastatura = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean b = true;
int a = 0;
String r = "";
System.out.println("Please enter a letter");
r = tastatura.next();
do {
try {
System.out.println("Please enter numerical value");
a = tastatura.nextInt();
b = true;
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("An error occured you must enter number");
b = false;
}
} while (!b);
}
}
Here's your problem. If the user enters a non-number where you expect a number, your nextInt() will raise an exception but it will not remove the letter from the input stream!
That means when you loop back to get the number again, the letter will still be there and your nextInt() will once again raise an exception. And so on, ad infinitum (or at least until the heat death of the universe, or the machine finally breaks down, whichever comes first).
One way to fix this would be to actually read/skip the next character when nextInt() fails so that it's removed from the input stream. You could basically do this with Scanner.findInLine(".") until Scanner.hasNextInt() returns true.
The following code shows one way to do this:
import java.util.Scanner;
public class MyTestProg {
public static void main(String [] args) {
Scanner inputScanner = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter letter, number: ");
// Get character, handling newlines as needed
String str = inputScanner.findInLine(".");
while (str == null) {
str = inputScanner.nextLine();
str = inputScanner.findInLine(".");
}
// Skip characters (incl. newline) until int available.
while (! inputScanner.hasNextInt()) {
String junk = inputScanner.findInLine(".");
if (junk == null) {
junk = inputScanner.nextLine();
}
System.out.println("Ignoring '" + junk + "'");
}
// Get integer and print both.
int num = inputScanner.nextInt();
System.out.println("Got '" + str + "' and " + num);
}
}
And the following transcript shows it in action:
Enter letter, number: Abcde42
Ignoring 'b'
Ignoring 'c'
Ignoring 'd'
Ignoring 'e'
Got 'A' and 42
I realized that my program ignores the Scanner object tastatura in try block whenever i insert wrong value and do while loop starts again so i created new object of Scanner class and called it tastatura2 and my program works fine.
Scanner tastatura = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean b = true;
int a = 0;
String r = "";
System.out.println("Please enter a letter");
r = tastatura.next();
do {
try {
Scanner tastatura2 = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Please enter numerical value");
a = tastatura2.nextInt();
b = true;
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("An error occured you must enter number");
b = false;
}
} while (!b);
Just add tastatura.nextLine() in the catch block to discard the last input.
You can get out of the loop by break; when the Exception is caught ... So just add :
break;
on your catch Block :)
The catch clause would look like this :
catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("An error occured you must enter number");
b = false;
break;
}

Scanner loop doesn't cycle when hitting enter twice

boolean loop = false;
double numberOfStudents;
System.out.print("Enter a number: ");
if ((scnr.nextLine().trim().isEmpty()) ) {
loop = true;
}
while (loop) {
System.out.println("Enter a number");
if (scnr.hasNextDouble() ){
System.out.println("Loop has stopped");
numberOfStudents = scnr.nextDouble();
loop = false;
}
}
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
I'm trying to get the program to say "Enter a number" until the user has entered an actual number (no white spaces or letters or signs). When the user has entered a number, it sets numberOfStudents equal to that number and breaks out of the loop.
But if you hit enter twice, it doesn't iterate. It only displays "Enter a number" once.
What is wrong with the loop logic? Why isn't it looping until valid input is taken?
For the actual answer to your question of "Why doesn't 'Enter a number' display more than once?" see Tom's comment (update: Tom's answer).
I've rewritten your loop in a way which preserves your code, but also makes it a little easier to handle format exceptions (though at the risk of silently swallowing an exception -- should be acceptable for this use case).
Can be up to you to use this design, here is an SO post on why empty catch blocks can be a bad practice.
public static void main(String args[])
{
boolean loop = true;
double numberOfStudents;
Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
while(loop){
System.out.print("Enter a number: ");
String input = scnr.nextLine();
try{
numberOfStudents = Double.parseDouble(input);
loop = false;
}catch(NumberFormatException e){
}
}
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
}
Output:
Enter a number:
Enter a number:
Enter a number:
Enter a number: 50
You're outside the loop!
First of all: Since you're reading from System.in a call to the input stream will block until the user entered a valid token.
So let's check first scan using your scnr variable:
scnr.nextLine()
nextLine() reads everything til the next line delimiter. So if you just press return, then it will successfully read it and will perform the next stuff.
The next call is:
scnr.hasNextDouble()
This call expects a "real" token and ignores white spaces, except as a delimiter between tokens. So if you just press return again it doesn't actually read that input. So it still waits for more (for the first token). That is why it stucks in your loop and you won't get another "Enter a number" output.
You can fix that by either enter a real token, like a number, or by changing the loop like trobbins said.
I hope you now understand your program flow a bit more :).
While trobbins code basically solves your problem, it's bad practice to use exceptions for flow control.
I used a small regexp to check if the value is a number. But this example is not complete, it will still crash it the user enters for example two decimal points. So you would need to create a proper number check or just use integers where the check is much easier.
Someone in the comments pointed out that people may want to enter scientific notation like 5e10, so this would also be another case to check for. If this is just some code you need as a proof of concept or something quick and dirty, you can go with the exception handling method but in production code you should avoid using exceptions this way.
double numberOfStudents;
Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
while(true) {
System.out.print("Enter a number: ");
String input = scnr.nextLine().trim();
if(input.matches("^[0-9\\.]{1,}$")) {
System.out.println("Loop has stopped");
numberOfStudents = Double.parseDouble(input);
break;
}
}
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
The following code should help you:
double numberOfStudents = 0;
Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
boolean readValue = false; //Check if the valid input is received
boolean shouldAskForNumber = true; //Need to ask for number again? Case for Enter
do {
if (shouldAskForNumber) {
System.out.print("Enter a number:");
shouldAskForNumber = false;
}
if (scnr.hasNextDouble()) {
numberOfStudents = scnr.nextDouble();
readValue = true;
} else {
String token = scnr.next();
if (!"".equals(token.trim())) { //Check for Enter or space
shouldAskForNumber = true;
}
}
} while (!readValue);
System.out.printf("Value read is %.0f\n", numberOfStudents);
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
Update
Understood the following statement in question different way:
But if you hit enter twice, it doesn't loop back. It only displays
"Enter a number" once.
The code is set to print "Enter a number" only once if the user hits RETURN/ENTER or enters space character. You may remove the special check and use the code if needed.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Testing {
public static boolean checkInt(String s)
{
try
{
Integer.parseInt(s);
return true;
} catch (NumberFormatException ex)
{
return false;
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
boolean loop = false;
double numberOfStudents;
Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = "";
while (!(checkInt(input))) {
System.out.println("Enter a number");
input = scnr.nextLine();
}
numberOfStudents = Integer.parseInt(input);
System.out.println("Number of students: " + numberOfStudents );
}
}
//this code is working fine, if you want you check it out.
//In your code your taking another input if the first is an int/double; if the first input is not a number then you have mentioned to take input again..
Use a debugger to see what the code is actually doing. Here's a guide on debugging in Eclipse. After you have finished debugging your code, you will probably know what the problem is.
Below code will help you
boolean loop = true;
double numberOfStudents;
Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter a number: ");
String input = scnr.nextLine();
while(!scnr.hasNextDouble()){
System.out.print("Enter a number: ");
try{
numberOfStudents = Double.parseDouble(input);
break;
}catch(NumberFormatException e){
}
input = scnr.nextLine();
}
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
The following code is working,
boolean loop = true;
double numberOfStudents;
Scanner scnr=new Scanner(System.in);
while(loop) {
System.out.println("Enter a number");
if ((scnr.nextLine().trim().isEmpty()) ) {
loop = true;
}
if (scnr.hasNextDouble() ){
System.out.println("Loop has stopped");
numberOfStudents = scnr.nextDouble();
loop = false;
}
}
System.out.println("You're outside the loop!");
The output is,
run:
Enter a number
hj
po
Enter a number
lhf
Enter a number
o
Enter a number
p
Enter a number
a
Enter a number
34
Loop has stopped
You're outside the loop!
You have to scan the next line if you want to get more values form the scanner again. The code should be like:
while (loop) {
System.out.println("Enter a number");
if(!(scnr.nextLine().trim().isEmpty())){
if (scnr.hasNextDouble() ){
System.out.println("Loop has stopped");
numberOfStudents = scnr.nextDouble();
loop = false;
}
}
}

Testing for blank input using Scanner class during input validation

I need to ask the user to enter a positive non-zero integer from the console that I will use as a product number in my program.
If I enter any non-integer value, the program correctly enters the while loop.
If I enter a 0 or a negative integer, the program correctly throws the exception (which I catch and handle elsewhere).
When I just press the enter key (or end of line character) it seems that the program just puts the console to another line. I want it to enter the while loop to display the error message. I think the cause is that hasNextInt() will wait until the token is a non end of line character input.
private static void validateProductNumber() throws InvalidProductNumberException {
Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
int number;
while(!keyboard.hasNextInt()) {
System.out.println("Number must be an integer. Try again. ");
System.out.println("Enter a new number: ");
keyboard.next();
}
number = keyboard.nextInt();
if (number <= 0)
throw new InvalidProductNumberException();
newNumber = number;
}
Is there another way I can implement my input validation with Scanner class so that it works correctly for all situations?
You can change your loop as follows:
while(true) {
try {
System.out.println("Enter a new number: ");
//read the line and parse it
number = Integer.parseInt(keyboard.nextLine());
break; //break the loop if the input is a valid integer
} catch(Exception ex) {
//print the error message if the input is incorrect
System.out.println("Number must be an integer. Try again. ");
}
}
if (number <= 0)
//...

Categories

Resources