Develop Reference

how can I return a String?

package book1;
import java.util.ArrayList;
public abstract class Book {
public String Book (String name, String ref_num, int owned_copies, int loaned_copies ){
return;
}
}
class Fiction extends Book{
public Fiction(String name, String ref_num, int owned_copies, String author) {
}
}
at the moment when i input values into the variable arguments and call them with this :
public static class BookTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayList<Book> library = new ArrayList<Book>();
library.add(new Fiction("The Saga of An Aga","F001",3,"A.Stove"));
library.add(new Fiction("Dangerous Cliffs","F002",4,"Eileen Dover"));
for (Book b: library) System.out.println(b);
System.out.println();
}
}
i get a return value of this:
book1.Fiction#15db9742
book1.Fiction#6d06d69c
book1.NonFiction#7852e922
book1.ReferenceBook#4e25154f
how can i convert the classes to return a string value instead of the object value? I need to do this without changing BookTest class. I know i need to use to string to convert the values. but i don't know how to catch the return value with it. could someone please point me in the right direction on how to convert this output into a string value?

You need to overwrite the toString() Method of your Book class. In this class you can generate a String however you like. Example:
#Override
public String toString() {
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
sb.append(this.author).append(": ").append(this.title);
return sb.toString();
}

You need to override the toString() method in your Book or Fiction class. The method is actually declared in the Object class, which all classes inherit from.
#Override
public String toString(){
return ""; // Replace this String with the variables or String literals that you want to return and print.
}
This method is called by System.out.println() and System.out.print() when they receive an object in the parameter (as opposed to a primitive, such as int and float).
To reference the variables in the method, you'll need to declare them in the class and store them via the class's constructor.
For example:
public abstract class Book {
private String name;
private String reference;
private int ownedCopies;
private int loanedCopies;
public Book (String name, String reference, int ownedCopies, int loanedCopies) {
this.name = name;
this.reference = reference;
this.ownedCopies = ownedCopies;
this.loanedCopies = loanedCopies;
}
#Override
public String toString(){
return name + ", Ref:" + reference + ", OwnedCopies: " + ownedCopies + ", LoanedCopies: " + loanedCopies; // Replace this String with the variables or String literals that you want to return and print.
}
}

The classes you have defined, don't store any values. It is in other words useful to construct a new book. You need to provide fields:
public abstract class Book {
private String name;
private String ref_num;
private int owned_copies;
private int loaned_copies;
public String Book (String name, String ref_num, int owned_copies, int loaned_copies) {
this.name = name;
this.ref_num = ref_num;
this.owned_copies = owned_copies;
this.loaned_copies = loaned_copies;
}
public String getName () {
return name;
}
//other getters
}
Now an object is basically a set of fields. If you want to print something, you can access and print one of these fields, for instance:
for (Book b: library) System.out.println(b.getName());
In Java, you can also provide a default way to print an object by overriding the toString method:
#Override
public String toString () {
return ref_num+" "+name;
}
in the Book class.

Need to give your object Book a ToString() override.
http://www.javapractices.com/topic/TopicAction.do?Id=55
Example:
#Override public String toString()
{
return name;
}
Where name, is a string in the Class.

I am hoping that you have assigned the passed arguments to certain attributes of the classes. Now, once you are done with that, you can override the toString() method in Book to return your customized string for printing.

Final print statement returning null (java)

I have a basic name application that is taking in user data from the main class, splits the data in the parser class and then tries to assign everything in the final class and print it out in the toString method. I know the main class and the parser are working fine. I have verified in the parser class that the data DOES split properly and also sends the data through the object I made to the final class to assign it all. However, my final code is returning null..
MAIN CLASS
import java.util.Scanner;
public class MainClass {
public static void main (String[]args)
{
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in); //create scanner object to gather name information
String fullName = null; //set the predefined value for the users name to null
nameParse splitInformation = new nameParse(); //method build to split the name into different sections
SecondClass access = new SecondClass(); //class built to output the different name data
System.out.println("What is your name?");
fullName = input.nextLine(); //store the users name and pass it into the data parser
splitInformation.parseNameInformation(fullName); //name parsing parameters built
System.out.println(access.toString());
}
}
Data Parser Class
public class nameParse {
private String firstName;
private String middleName;
private String lastName;
public nameParse()
{
firstName = "initial";
middleName = "initial";
lastName = "initial";
}
public void parseNameInformation(String inputInfo)
{
//Create an array to store the data and split it into multiple sectors
String nameInformation[] = inputInfo.split("\\s");
firstName = nameInformation[0];
middleName = nameInformation[1];
lastName = nameInformation[2];
//System.out.println(firstName + " " + middleName + " " + lastName);
SecondClass sendData = new SecondClass();
sendData.setFirstName(firstName);
sendData.setMiddleName(middleName);
sendData.setLastName(lastName);
}
}
Final Class
__
public class SecondClass {
private String firstName;
private String middleName;
private String lastName;
/*public String GFN()
{
return firstName;
}
public String GMN()
{
return middleName;
}
public String GLN()
{
return lastName;
}*/
public String setFirstName(String yourFirstName)
{
firstName = yourFirstName;
return this.firstName;
}
public String setMiddleName(String yourMiddleName)
{
middleName = yourMiddleName;
return this.middleName;
}
public String setLastName(String yourLastName)
{
lastName = yourLastName;
return this.lastName;
}
public String getFN()
{
return firstName;
}
public String toString()
{
String printNameInfo = "\nYour First Name:\t" + getFN();
return printNameInfo;
}
}

You never set any of your SecondClass object's (called "access") fields, so of course they'll all be null.
So in short, your code creates a nameParse object, gets information from the user, but does nothing with that information. You create a SecondClass object called access, put no data into it, and so should expect no valid data in it when you try to print it out. Solution: put information into your SecondClass object first. Call its setter methods:
// be sure to call the setter methods before trying to print anything out:
access.setSomething(something);
access.setSomethingElse(somethingElse);
Edit
You state:
I thought I set the data using the sendData.setFirstname(...) etc?
In the parseNameInformation method you create a new SecondClass object and you do set the fields of this object, but this object is completely distinct from the one in your main method whose fields are still null. To solve this, give parseNameInformation a method parameter and pass in your main method's SecondClass object into it and set its methods. You'll have to create the SecondClass object before calling the method of course.
i.e.,
public void parseNameInformation(String inputInfo, SecondClass sendData)
{
//Create an array to store the data and split it into multiple sectors
String nameInformation[] = inputInfo.split("\\s");
firstName = nameInformation[0];
middleName = nameInformation[1];
lastName = nameInformation[2];
//System.out.println(firstName + " " + middleName + " " + lastName);
// SecondClass sendData = new SecondClass(); // !!! get rid of this
sendData.setFirstName(firstName);
sendData.setMiddleName(middleName);
sendData.setLastName(lastName);
}

A parameters' variable as parameter

I have an Object Human:
public class Human {
String name;
public Human(String name){
this.name = name;
}
}
In my main Class I have an instance of this human "John".
With a function called getVarOfObject() I want to get John's name:
public class Example {
public static Object getVarOfObject(Object obj, Object var){
return obj.var;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Human john = new Human("John");
String johnsName = getVarOfObject(john, name);
}
}
I know you could just type john.name but in my case I need to have a function which can do this.

You can use this code
Field field = <Your object>.getClass().getDeclaredField(fieldName);
field.setAccessible(true);
return (String) field.get(object);

You can't do this except reflectively.
Please note that this wizardry can lead to errors, subtle issues, exceptions, performance losses, asphyxiation, drowning, death, paralysis, or fire.
Object obj is the object, and String field is the name of the field.
Class clazz=Human.getClass(); //or for class-independence use `obj.getClass()`.
Field fd=clazz.getField(name);
fd.get(obj);

Why don't you use accessor methods (getters and setters)?
In Human:
public String getName() {
return name;
}
and in your main method:
Human john = new Human("John");
String johnsName = john.getName();

Get String From Another Method?

I have two methods, the first one creates a string, then I want to use that string in the second method.
When I researched this, I came across the option of creating the string outside of the methods, however, this will not work in my case as the first method changes the string in a couple of ways and I need the final product in the second method.
Code:
import java.util.Random;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class yaya {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Enter a word:");
Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
String input = sc.nextLine();
Random ran = new Random();
int ranNum = ran.nextInt(10);
input = input + ranNum;
}
public void change(String[] args) {
//more string things here
}
}

Create an instance variable:
public class MyClass {
private String str;
public void method1() {
// change str by assigning a new value to it
}
public void method2() {
// the changed value of str is available here
}
}

You need to return the modified string from the first method and pass it into the second. Suppose the first method replaces all instances or 'r' with 't' in the string (for example):
public class Program
{
public static String FirstMethod(String input)
{
String newString = input.replace('r', 't');
return newString;
}
public static String SecondMethod(String input)
{
// Do something
}
public static void main(String args[])
{
String test = "Replace some characters!";
test = FirstMethod(test);
test = SecondMethod(test);
}
}
Here, we pass the string into the first method, which gives us back (returns) the modified string. We update the value of the initial string with this new value and then pass that into the second method.
If the string is strongly tied to the object in question and needs to be passed around and updated a lot within the context of a given object, it makes more sense to make it an instance variable as Bohemian describes.

Pass the modified string in the second method as an argument.

create a static variable used the same variable in both the method.

public class MyClass {
public string method1(String inputStr) {
inputStr += " AND I am sooo cool";
return inputStr;
}
public void method2(String inputStr) {
System.out.println(inputStr);
}
public static void main(String[] args){
String firstStr = "I love return";
String manipulatedStr = method1(firstStr);
method2(manipulatedStr);
}
}

Since you mentioned that both methods should be able to be called independently, you should try something like this:
public class Strings {
public static String firstMethod() {
String myString = ""; //Manipulate the string however you want
return myString;
}
public static String secondMethod() {
String myStringWhichImGettingFromMyFirstMethod = firstMethod();
//Run whatever operations you want here and afterwards...
return myStringWhichImGettingFromMyFirstMethod;
}
}
Because both of these methods are static, you can call them in main() by their names without creating an object. Btw, can you be more specific about what you're trying to do?

How to print a String defined in one class in a different class?

I have two classes. In the first one, I used the Scanner to retrieve the user's name and then store it in a String called name. Then say, I start a new class, and want to print that came out, how do I go about it. So I just wrote up this code as an example, so you can get an idea of what I'm trying to ask. I'll post both classes.
import java.util.Scanner;
public class One {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String name;
String start;
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Hello, what is your name?");
name = input.nextLine();
System.out.println("Hello "+name+", welcome! To ocntinue, please hit any key.");
start = input.nextLine();
if(start != null){
Two object = new Two();
}
}
}
Second class.
public class Two {
public Two() {
System.out.println("Ok "+One.name+", lets start!");
}
}

So, you will probably be doing something like this: -
class One
{
private String name = "bob";
public String getName()
{
return name;
}
public static void main(String [] args)
{
One one = new One();
Two two = new Two(one);
// You could also just pass an r-value to Two, as in, Two(new One()) if you
// never require 'one' again
}
}
class Two
{
public Two(One one)
{
System.out.println("Ok " + one.getName() + ", lets start!");
}
}
What is going on?
Creating two classes in your main entry point method.
Passing the instance of One to the constructor of Two
Two then calls getName()
You could, as others have suggested, pass a string as the constructor; alternatively, you could do both if required as Java supports overloading methods see
Recommendations
Take a look at http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO/methods.html for overriding methods so that you may see how to pass both a string and an object reference by value. What you are doing right now is passing the object reference of one by value. It may not be needed or you may want to provide restrictions using an interface, see http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/concepts/interface.html

Use the constructor to pass the values
public class Two {
private String value;
public Two(String a){
this.value=a;
System.out.println("Ok "+value+", lets start!");
}
//getter and setters
}
Then while creating the instance use that constructor
Two object = new Two(name);

pass your value to the Two class constructor.
if(start != null){
Two object = new Two(start );
}
and
public Two(String s){
System.out.println("Ok "+s+", lets start!");
}

To make your code compile, move the String name variable into a static field:
public class One {
public static String name;
public static void main(String[] args){
// Note: The "name" variable is no longer defined here
String start; // etc
// rest of code the same
}
}
I'm not going to tell you this is good code design, but it does what you asked.

You will also do like this
public class One {
private String name;
public void setName(String name){
this.name = name;
}
public String getName(){
retrun this.name;
}
public static void main(String[] args){
String name;
String start;
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Hello, what is your name?");
name = input.nextLine();
System.out.println("Hello "+name+", welcome! To ocntinue, please hit any key.");
start = input.nextLine();
if(start != null){
Two two = new Two();
two.printName(this);
}
}
class Two{
public void printName(One one){
System.out.println("" + one.getName() );
}
}