Develop Reference

Java - Delete file after reading from it

I am trying to figure out why my inputFile.delete() will not delete the file. After looking at numerous topics it looks like something is still using the file and hence it won't delete. But I can't figure it out. What am I missing??
File inputFile = new File("data/Accounts.txt");
File tempFile = new File("data/tmp.txt");
try {
tempFile.createNewFile();
BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(inputFile));
BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tempFile));
String line;
int i = 0;
for (User u : data) {
String toRemove = getIDByUsername(username);
while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
if (line.contains(toRemove + " ")) {
line = (i + " " + username + " " + getStatusByUsername(username) + " " + password);
}
writer.write(line + "\n");
i++;
}
}
reader.close();
writer.close();
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
ex.FileNotFound();
} catch (IOException ee) {
ex.IOException();
} finally {
inputFile.delete();
tempFile.renameTo(inputFile);
}

You can have that much shorter and easier by using java.nio:
public static void main(String[] args) {
// provide the path to your file, (might have to be an absolute path!)
Path filePath = Paths.get("data/Accounts.txt");
// lines go here, initialize it as empty list
List<String> lines = new ArrayList<>();
try {
// read all lines (alternatively, you can stream them by Files.lines(...)
lines = Files.readAllLines(filePath);
// do your logic here, this is just a very simple output of the content
System.out.println(String.join(" ", lines));
// delete the file
Files.delete(filePath);
} catch (FileNotFoundException fnfe) {
// handle the situation of a non existing file (wrong path or similar)
System.err.println("The file at " + filePath.toAbsolutePath().toString()
+ " could not be found." + System.lineSeparator()
+ fnfe.toString());
} catch (FileSystemException fse) {
// handle the situation of an inaccessible file
System.err.println("The file at " + filePath.toAbsolutePath().toString()
+ " could not be accessed:" + System.lineSeparator()
+ fse.toString());
} catch (IOException ioe) {
// catch unexpected IOExceptions that might be thrown
System.err.println("An unexpected IOException was thrown:" + System.lineSeparator()
+ ioe.toString());
}
}
This prints the content of the file and deletes it afterwards.
You will want to do something different instead of just printing the content, but that will be possible, too ;-) Try it...

I am trying to figure out why my inputFile.delete() will not delete the file.
That's because the old file API is crappy specifically in this way: It has no ability to tell you why something is not succeeding. All it can do, is return 'false', which it will.
See the other answer, by #deHaar which shows how to do this with the newer API. Aside from being cleaner code and the newer API giving you more options, the newer API also fixes this problem where various methods, such as File.delete(), cannot tell you the reason for why it cannot do what you ask.
There are many, many issues with your code, which is why I strongly suggest you go with deHaar's attempt. To wit:
You aren't properly closing your resources; if an exception happens, your file handlers will remain open.
Both reading and writing here is done with 'platform default encoding', whatever that might be. Basically, never use those FileReader and FileWriter constructors. Fortunately, the new API defaults to UTF_8 if you fail to specify an encoding, which is more sensible.
your exception handling is not great (you're throwing away any useful messages, whatever ex.FileNotFound() might be doing here) - and you still try to delete-and-replace even if exceptions occur, which then fail, as your file handles are still open.
The method should be called getIdByUsername
Your toRemove string is the same every time, or at least, the username variable does not appear to be updated as you loop through. If indeed it never updates, move that line out of your loop.

FileWriter not appending to existing file

I am writing a method that takes in a List of Twitter Status objects as a parameter, opens a log file containing String represenatations of Tweets, checks if any of the String representations of the Status objects are already written to the file - if so, it removes them from the list, if not it appends the Status to the file.
Everything is working up until I attempt to write to the file. Nothing is being written at all. I am led to believe that it is due to the method having the file open in two different places: new File("tweets.txt") and new FileWriter("tweets.txt, true).
Here is my method:
private List<Status> removeDuplicates(List<Status> mentions) {
File mentionsFile = new File("tweets.txt");
try {
mentionsFile.createNewFile();
} catch (IOException e1) {
// Print error + stacktrace
}
List<String> fileLines = new ArrayList<>();
try {
Scanner scanner = new Scanner(mentionsFile);
while (scanner.hasNextLine()) {
fileLines.add(scanner.nextLine());
}
scanner.close();
} catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
// Print error + stacktrace
}
List<Status> duplicates = new ArrayList<>();
for (Status mention : mentions) {
String mentionString = "#" + mention.getUser().getScreenName() + " \"" + mention.getText() + "\" (" + mention.getCreatedAt() + "\")";
if (fileLines.contains(mentionString)) {
duplicates.add(mention);
} else {
try {
Writer writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("tweets.txt", true));
writer.write(mentionString);
} catch (IOException e) {
// Print error + stacktrace
}
}
}
mentions.removeAll(duplicates);
return mentions;
}

I wrote here few thoughts looking your code.
Remember to always close the object Reader and Writer.
Have a look at try-with-resources statement :
try (Writer writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("tweets.txt", true))) {
writer.write(mentionString);
} catch (IOException e) {
// Print error + stacktrace
}
To read an entire file in a List<String>:
List<String> lines = Files.readAllLines(Paths.get("tweets.txt"), StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
And again, I think it's a bad practice write in the same file you're reading of.
I would suggest to write in a different file if you don't have a particular constraint.
But if you really want have this behavior there are few alternative.
Create a temporary file as output and, when you process is successfully completed, than move it to the old one using Files.move(from, to).

Writing data to a txt file file using java classes

I am trying to understand why my code is not writing the output to the textfile as I expect it to work. My program takes a filename as a command line argument, and prints some text to the file as well as the screen. It is a bit more complicated since it uses classes and objects to demonstrate how objects work. Can anyone help decipher why it is not writing to the file? Here's my code:-
public class Mamoonp3test {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
//Create array of 10 guitar (Mamoonp3) objects
final int NUMBER_OF_INSTANCES = 10;
Mamoonp3[] objectNames = new Mamoonp3[NUMBER_OF_INSTANCES];
try
{
String fileName = new String(args[0]);
for(int i=0; i<NUMBER_OF_INSTANCES; i++) {
objectNames[i] = new Mamoonp3(FileName);
System.out.println("This is guitar number: " + i);
objectNames[i].tuneGuitar();
objectNames[i].playGuitar();
objectNames[i].displayAcronym();
objectNames[i].stopGuitar();
System.out.println("---------------------------");
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
System.out.println("please provide an input file");
System.out.println("Usage: java Mamoonp3test filename.txt");
}
}
}
import java.io.*;
public class Mamoonp3 {
final int NUMBER_OF_STRINGS = 6;
char[] stringNames = {'E','A','D','G','B','E'};
int[] stringNumbers = {6,5,4,3,2,1};
String[] stringPitch = {"Sixth","Fifth","Fourth","Third","Second","First"};
boolean isTuned;
boolean isPlaying;
String stringAcronym = new String("Even After Dinner Giant Boys Eat");
//create a PrintWriter for output
PrintWriter output;
public Mamoonp3(String fileName) throws Exception{
isTuned = false;
isPlaying = false;
// create target file
File targetFile = new File(fileName);
//create a PrintWriter for output
output = new PrintWriter(targetFile);
}
public void tuneGuitar() {
System.out.println("The guitar is now tuned.");
for (int i=0; i<NUMBER_OF_STRINGS; i++) {
System.out.println(stringNames[i] + " is string number " + stringNumbers[i] + " and ranked " + stringPitch[i] + " in pitch");
output.print(stringNames[i] + " is string number " + stringNumbers[i] + " and ranked " + stringPitch[i] + " in pitch");
output.close();
}
}
public void playGuitar() {
System.out.println("The guitar is now playing.");
output.print("The guitar is now playing.");
output.close();
}
public void stopGuitar() {
System.out.println("The guitar is now stoped.");
output.print("The guitar is now stoped.");
output.close();
}
public void displayAcronym() {
System.out.println("Always remember your string names!");
System.out.println("Heres a reminder: " + stringAcronym);
output.print("Always remember your string names!");
output.print("Heres a reminder: " + stringAcronym);
output.close();
}
}

You're setting the File of an object that you then do nothing with, that you're not writing with,
Mamoonp3 newObject = new Mamoonp3(fileName);
... and not setting the File in objects that you try to write with. Check which constructors you are using: every Manoop3 object created in the for loop. To see that this is so, check which constructors you're using
I suggest that you change your approach entirely.
Get all file input and output out of your Mamoonp3 class.
Instead, that class should concern itself with representing the state of the musical instrument, and nothing else.
Give the class a decent toString() override method.
I & O should go elsewhere in a separate class of its own.
Give your I&O class a method that allows you to pass Mamoonp3 objects into it so that they can be written.
As an aside, you almost never would use new String(anything). Just use args[0].
Always close your PrintWriter when you are done writing. This is likely causing your error.
Edit
Possibly another way to solve this:
Create a PrintWriter object in the main method.
Give your Manoop3 class a PrintWriter field and a constructor that takes this PrintWriter and sets its field with it.
Write with the PrintWriter in Manoop3, but don't close it.
Then close the PrintWriter in the main method when all Manoop3 objects have completed their use of it.

Can not get java to write to a text file using PrintWriter

Let me preface this by saying that I'm extremely new to java. This is my eighth week in the class and I'm stuck on a project. Here is what I have so far:
import java.io.*;
public class Guitar {
// Initialize variables
boolean isPlaying;
boolean inTune;
char[] guitStrings = {'D', 'G', 'C', 'A'}; // Guitar strings
int numOfStrings = 4; // Number of strings the guitar has.
public void Guitar(){
isPlaying = false; // Guitar is not playing by default.
inTune = false; // Guitar is not tuned by default.
System.out.println("The guitar is not tuned and is not playing.");
}
public void isPlaying(){
System.out.println("Your guitar is now playing!");
isPlaying = true; // Set guitar to playing
}
public void inTune(){
System.out.println("Your guitar is now tuned!");
inTune = true; // Set guitar to tuned.
}
public void stopPlaying(){
isPlaying = false; // Set isPlaying to false.
System.out.println("Your guitar has finished playing!");
}
public void notes(){
System.out.println("The guitar has played a total of " + numOfStrings +
" strings and they are: " + guitStrings[0] + "," + guitStrings[1] + ","
+ guitStrings[2] + "," + guitStrings[3]);
}
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException{
java.io.File file = new java.io.File("guitartest.txt");
if(file.exists()){
System.out.println("File already exists!");
System.exit(1);
}
// Create a file
java.io.PrintWriter output = new java.io.PrintWriter(file);
Guitar[] guit = new Guitar[10];
for (int i = 0; i < guit.length; i++){
guit[i] = new Guitar();
guit[i].Guitar();
guit[i].inTune();
guit[i].isPlaying();
guit[i].notes();
guit[i].stopPlaying();
}
}
}
This program does everything I need it to do, but we have one last step on the project. I must output this to a text file from the command line. I've changed the last bit of code to this:
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException{
java.io.File file = new java.io.File("guitartest.txt");
if (file.exists()){
System.out.println("This file already exists!");
System.exit(1);
}
// Create a file
java.io.PrintWriter output = new java.io.PrintWriter(file);
Guitar[] guit = new Guitar[10]; // Create 10 instruments
for (int i = 0; i < guit.length; i++){
output.println(guit[i] = new Guitar());
output.println(guit[i].Guitar());
output.println(guit[i].inTune());
output.println(guit[i].isPlaying());
output.println(guit[i].notes());
output.println(guit[i].stopPlaying());
}
}
This compiles the codes, and displays the results I want in the console, but the text file guitartest.txt is completely blank. I am NOT looking for someone to complete this assignment for me, I'm just looking for any advice or resources you could point me to. Thank you very much!

PrintWriter is buffered, that means that the text you're writing to it is stored in its internal buffer before being actually written to the file. So you need to call a close() method when you're done writing, so that the PrintWriter object wrote the data to the file and closed it.
You can also call flush(), this may be useful if you want your data written now but also want to continue using the PrintWriter object.

After you're done writing
output.flush();
output.close();

The PrintWriter constructor that accepts a File is implemented as
public PrintWriter(File file) throws FileNotFoundException {
this(new BufferedWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(new FileOutputStream(file))),
false);
}
In other words, your outputs are being buffered and need to be flushed from time to time or all in one shot.
Call
output.flush();
or
output.close();
when you are finished using it.

You probably need to flush the output stream at the end, i.e. after the for loop in the main() method do
output.flush();
output.close();
You can include both of these calls in a try/catch block, for safety:
try {
output.flush();
output.close();
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}

In Java, why am I getting a NullPointerException when trying to display a FileNotFoundException?

I think it's easier to just show the code and the output I'm getting than trying to explain it :)
This is from my main method:
//prompt user for filename
System.out.println("Please enter the text file name. (Example: file.txt):");
String filename = ""; //will be used to hold filename
//loop until user enters valid file name
valid = false;
while(!valid)
{
filename = in.next();
try
{
reader.checkIfValid(filename);
valid = true; //file exists and contains text
}
catch (Exception e)
{
System.out.println(e + "\nPlease try again.");
}
}
And this is the reader.checkIfValid method:
public void checkIfValid(String filename) throws InvalidFileException, FileNotFoundException
{
try
{
in = new Scanner(new File(filename));
if (!in.hasNextLine()) // can't read first line
throw new InvalidFileException("File contains no readable text.");
}
finally
{
in.close();
}
}
This is the output I get when a nonexistent file is entered:
Please enter the text file name. (Example: file.txt):
doesNotExist.txt
java.lang.NullPointerException
Please try again.
Why is the System.out.println(e) getting a NullPointerException? When I enter an empty file or a file with text, it works just fine. The empty file prints the InvalidFileException (a custom exception) message.
When I put a try-catch statement around the "in = new Scanner(new File(filename));", and have the catch block display the exception, I do get the FileNotFoundException printed out, followed by the NullPointerException (I'm not entirely sure why the catch block in the main method would be activated if the exception was already caught in the checkIfValid method...).
I've spent a while on this and I'm completely clueless as to what's wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

edited: I think the null pointer comes from the call to reader, it is poor practise to catch all exceptions as you no longer know where they came from!
Maybe the checkIfValid method should just check if the filename is valid?
public boolean checkIfValid(String filename) {
try {
File file = new File(filename);
return file.exists();
} catch (FileNotFoundException) {
System.out.println("Invalid filename ["+filename+"] "+e);
}
}
Then the code calling it could look like;
filename = in.next();
valid = reader.checkIfValid(filename);
if (valid)
List<String> fileContents = readFromFile(filename);
Then contain all the file reading logic in it's own method like this;
public List<String> readFromFile(filename) {
List<String> fileContents = new ArrayList<String>();
try {
in = new Scanner(new File(filename));
while (in.hasNextLine()) {
fileContents.add(in.nextLine);
}
} catch (IOException e){
//do something with the exception
} finally {
in.close();
}
return fileContents;
}

My mistake was something only I could've seen. I was catching all the exceptions so I wasn't able to see where it was coming from. Thank you for helping!