Help with Simple Text-Based Hangman Game (No Arrays or Object-Oriented Programming)

**dataghost** · March 23rd, 2019, 06:41 PM

I was trying to think of some way to store the updated string every round, I'm not quite sure how to go about this. Also, I added displayWord += "-"; because when this line isn't added in the for loop, I have StringIndexOutOfBoundsException errors with my code at line 99:

substringOne = displayWord.substring(0, index);

The errors tell me the index is out of range by 2 or 3 or whatever number as secretWord changes randomly. With the line: displayWord += "-"; I don't get those errors, but the number of dashes is wrong in substringTwo, but correct in substringOne.

**Norm** · March 23rd, 2019, 06:51 PM

way to store the updated string every round

What is displayWord supposed to contain?

If displayWord is filled with dashes at the beginning of the program so that it has the same length as secretWord,
why would there be a need to add more dashes to it? Adding dashes will make it longer than secretWord.

When the code gets the StringIndexOutOfBoundsException
what is in displayWord? Does it have the correct contents? Print it to see.
What is the value in index? Does it have the correct contents? Print it to see.

Again why the loop? Why not use the value returned by indexOf?

**dataghost** · March 23rd, 2019, 07:58 PM

I'm not sure how I can get updatedDisplayWord to update every round of the game while also holding the value of the rounds before it, I need some help in figuring it out. When I don't add displayWord += "-"; within the for loop, I get StringIndexOutOfBoundsException errors, telling me the index is out of bounds by 2 or 3 or whatever number since secretWord is changing randomly. When I add displayWord += "-"; within the for loop, I no longer receive StringIndexOutOfBoundsException errors, it just adds the wrong number of dashes to substringTwo. That's why I have displayWord continuing to fill, but this is obviously a problem since it adds dashes incorrectly.

The line:
String substringTwo = displayWord.substring(index);

Should print out the number of dashes after the guessed letter, correct? This is where I'm having a problem because it isn't doing this.

**Norm** · March 23rd, 2019, 08:17 PM

Did you miss these questions?
When the code gets the StringIndexOutOfBoundsException
what is in displayWord? Does it have the correct contents? Print it to see.
What is the value in index? Does it have the correct contents? Print it to see.

What do the debug print statements show for those variables just before the exception? Copy and paste here the console that shows the values.

how I can get updatedDisplayWord to update every round

Why is there another variable (updatedDisplayWord) to hold the displayWord? Why not use only displayWord?

In post #24 you said:

replaces the dash at index in displayWord with "P"

Ok after that there is a new value in displayWord. When the next letter is replaced, displayWord will have one more letter to show. Continuing replacing dashes with letters as the user guesses will eventually fill displayWord with all the letters.

**dataghost** · March 23rd, 2019, 08:26 PM

updatedDisplayWord holds substringOne (the number of dashes in displayWord from 0 to index) + the guessed letter + substringTwo (the number of dashes from index to the end of displayWord)

This is the console output for the variables before the StringIndexOutOfBoundsException error:
The secret word is: logic
The word is: -----
Enter the number of spaces allowed: 5
Enter the letter you want to guess: g

Your guess is in the word!
Exception in thread "main"
VARIABLE OUTPUTS FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES ONLY (Before loop run-through #1)
index: 0
displayWord: -

VARIABLE OUTPUTS FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES ONLY (After loop run-through #1)
secretWord: logic
displayWord: -
index: 0
guess: g
substringOne:
substringTwo:
updatedDisplayWord:

VARIABLE OUTPUTS FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES ONLY (Before loop run-through #2)
index: 1
displayWord: -

VARIABLE OUTPUTS FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES ONLY (After loop run-through #2)
secretWord: logic
displayWord: -
index: 1
guess: g
substringOne:
substringTwo:
updatedDisplayWord:

VARIABLE OUTPUTS FOR DEBUGGING PURPOSES ONLY (Before loop run-through #3)
index: 2
displayWord: -

java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException: String index out of range: 2
at java.lang.String.substring(String.java:1963)
at Hangman2.main(Hangman2.java:101)

EDIT: I added displayWord = displayWord.substring(0); after the for loop that creates displayWord in order to hold it as a variable after that for loop runs, and I no longer recieve a StringIndexOutOfBoundsException error when the user enters his/her first guess. I do receive a StringIndexOutOfBoundsException error when the user enters his/her second guess. substringTwo is still not printing the correct amount of dashes. This is all reflected in the code in the initial post, as well as the console output I provide in the initial post.

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 06:12 AM

The secret word is: logic
The word is: ----- <<<< Is this from displayWord?

How did displayWord lose the initial 5 dashes it was given???
Once displayWord has the same length as secretWord, its length should never change.

Here is an exercise in replacing a letter in a String to make sure you are using the right logic
Given the String str = "01234";
write the statements to replace the "3" with an X
The statements should use 2 substring calls and concatenation to get the String: "012X4"

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 10:21 AM

(The word is: -----) What is encapsulated in the parentheses is from displayWord.

Here's what I have to replace "3" with X:

String str = "01234";
String updatedStr = "";
for(int index = 0; index < str.length(); index++)
{
	if(str.charAt(3) == '3')
	{
		String substringOne = str.substring(0, 3);
		String substringTwo = str.substring(index);
		updatedStr = substringOne + "X" + substringTwo;
	}
}
System.out.println(updatedStr);

It prints: 012X4

I tried this:

String str = "01234";
String updatedStr = "";
for(int index = 0; index < str.length(); index++)
{
	if(str.charAt(3) == '3')
	{
		String substringOne = str.substring(0, index);
		String substringTwo = str.substring(index);
		updatedStr = substringOne + "X" + substringTwo;
	}
}
System.out.println(updatedStr);

The same way I've been doing it in my hangman game, but I realized that it prints: 0123X4.

I tried substringOne = str.substring(0, index - 1); in order to move the X over to the correct index, but I received a StringIndexOutOfBoundsException error, where the string index was out of range by -1. How would I be able to place X correctly every time if it changed positions?

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 10:48 AM

Why the loop? Why not just use the value returned by the indexOf method?

Note: This statement does not use the loop index to control what is compared:

	if(str.charAt(3) == '3')

If if is true when index=0, it will be true for all index values.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 12:43 PM

What do you mean when you say "just use the value returned by the indexOf method"?

I fixed the practice problem and it prints correctly now:

String str = "01234";
String updatedStr = "";
for(int index = 0; index < str.length(); index++)
{
	if(str.charAt(index) == '3')
	{
		String substringOne = str.substring(0, index);
		String substringTwo = str.substring(index + 1);
		updatedStr = substringOne + "X" + substringTwo;
	}
}
System.out.println(updatedStr);

I've done the same thing that I did here in my hangman code but I still get StringIndexOutOfBoundsException errors.

This portion of my hangman code looks like this:

if (secretWord.indexOf(guess) >= 0)
{
	System.out.println();
	System.out.println("Your guess is in the word!");
                for (int index = 0; index < secretWord.length(); index++) //Loop over secretWord
                {	
	                if (secretWord.charAt(index) == guess.charAt(0)) //If characters match at correct index
	                {
		                substringOne = displayWord.substring(0, index);
		                substringTwo = displayWord.substring(index + 1);
		                updatedDisplayWord = substringOne + guess + substringTwo;
	                }
                        displayWord = updatedDisplayWord;
                }
        System.out.println("The updated word is: " + updatedDisplayWord);
}

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 12:57 PM

I still get StringIndexOutOfBoundsException

Again I ask this question:
Why is there a loop? The indexOf method returns the location of the dash to be replaced with a letter.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 01:06 PM

Which loop do you mean?

if(secretWord.charAt(guess) == guess.charAt(0)) or

for(int index = 0; index < secretWord.length(); index++) or

if(secretWord.indexOf(guess) >= 0)

If you are referencing the last loop, I use it to exclude all instances where there would be a string index out of bounds by -1, since that means that the guessed letter is not in secretWord.

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 01:25 PM

An if statement is not a loop.
A for statement is a loop.

This is the loop I was talking about:

  for(int index = 0; index < secretWord.length(); index++)

The other two if statements are not loops.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 01:45 PM

Thank you, that makes sense. I had them mislabeled in my head. So, you're asking me why I use this loop at all? I use it to loop through the length of secretWord until it matches the character at that index with the character that the user guessed (hence the if statement within this for loop).

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 01:49 PM

loop through the length of secretWord until it matches the character ... that the user guessed

That sounds exactly like what the indexOf method does.
Look at replacing the loop with the indexOf method.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 02:05 PM

If I replace the for loop with secretWord.indexOf(guess), I lose the use of int variable index for determining where guess should appear in displayWord. How do I print displayWord with the correct index of the guessed letter in that case?

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 02:11 PM

Go back to the exercise with the String "01234" and write code to find and replace the 3 with an X using indexOf, substring and concatenation.

How do I print displayWord with the correct index

You need to work out the logic for solving the problem BEFORE writing any more code.
Write the steps in English the code needs to take to replace the dash in displayWord with the letter.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 02:41 PM

Here is the code I tried for the indexOf method:

public class Tests 
{
	public static void main(String[] args) 
	{
		String str = "01234";
 
		String substringOne = str.substring(0, str.indexOf(3));
		String substringTwo = str.substring(str.indexOf(3) + 1);
 
		String updatedStr = substringOne + "X" + substringTwo;
		System.out.println(updatedStr);
	}
}

When I run this code, I get a StringIndexOutOfBoundsException of -1.
My logic for writing this code is this:

1. I set String str to "01234" because that is what I need its value to be.
2. I set String substringOne equal to the substring of str from index 0 to index 3, because I need that portion of str isolated.
3. I set String substringTwo equal to the substring of str from the index after 3 to the end of the string, because I need that portion of str isolated.
4. I set String updatedStr equal to substringOne + X + substringTwo in order to "replace" character 3 in str with X.
5. I print updatedStr in order to see what value it holds at the end of the program.

Where have I gone wrong in my reasoning? Or is it a misunderstanding of how the indices in the substring method work?

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 03:09 PM

StringIndexOutOfBoundsException of -1.

The code needs to save the value returned by the indexOf method and test it before using it in substring.
The value -1 means the String was NOT found.
The int value 3 does not represent a valid char or a String. The argument to indexOf needs to be either '3' or "3".

An example:

      String str = "012345";
      int ix = str.indexOf('3');
      if(ix >= 0) {
         out.println(str.substring(0,ix) + "X" + str.substring(ix+1)); // 012X45 >>  String BEFORE 3 + X + String AFTER 3
      }

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 03:58 PM

I completely forgot to place quotes around the digit in order to define it as a string. With that correction the code now works. I've applied this logic to my hangman code and I no longer recieve StringIndexOutOfBoundsException errors, thank you (code updated in initial post). My next problem is updating displayWord after every guess so it holds the string with the guess previously entered by the user.

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 04:05 PM

updating displayWord after every guess

      String str = "012345";
      int ix = str.indexOf('3');
      if(ix >= 0) {
          str = str.substring(0,ix) + "X" + str.substring(ix+1);  // new str with X replacing 3
      }

str now has new value with X in place of 3

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 04:25 PM

Could you explain to me how this code would update if I was entering a new number every time it ran? In that case '3' would have to be a variable to account for the user's input.

EDIT: Never mind, I believe I've figured that portion out. The code will now update and hold the value of the previous guesses, but it is delayed by one round in actually printing those guesses in displayWord (code updated in initial post).

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 04:35 PM

displayWord starts with all dashes
user guesses a letter
displayWord is changed to show that letter
user guesses a new letter
displayWord is changed to show that new letter (it still has the old letter)
etc

      String str = "012345";
      char[] digits = {'3', '2', '4'};    //  list of digits to change to X
      for(int i=0; i < digits.length; i++) {
         int ix = str.indexOf(digits[i]);
         if(ix >= 0) {
            str = str.substring(0,ix) + "X" + str.substring(ix+1);  // new str with X replacing 3
         }
      }

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 04:46 PM

Thank you, I have displayWord storing old guesses as well as new ones, but when it prints displayWord after new guesses it is delaying the reveal of said guesses by one round.

This is the code I have for this section:

while (guessesRemaining > 0 && !secretWord.equals(displayWord)) //While game parameters are within range
{
	System.out.print("Enter the letter you want to guess: ");
	guess = input.next().substring(0, 1);
 
	if (secretWord.indexOf(guess) >= 0) //If guess is in secretWord
	{
		System.out.println();
		System.out.println("Your guess is in the word!");
 
		if (secretWord.charAt(secretWord.indexOf(guess)) == guess.charAt(0)) //If characters match at correct index
		{
			substringOne = displayWord.substring(0, secretWord.indexOf(guess));
			substringTwo = displayWord.substring(secretWord.indexOf(guess) + 1);
			displayWord = substringOne + guess + substringTwo;
		}			
		System.out.println("The updated word is: " + displayWord);
		System.out.println("Guesses Remaining: " + guessesRemaining);
        }
}

Do you know what might be wrong?

Here are new outputs from this code:
The secret word is: ASCII
The word is: -----

Enter the number of spaces allowed: 5
Enter the letter you want to guess: A
Your guess is in the word!

The updated word is: A----
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 40
Total Score: 40

Enter the letter you want to guess: S
Your guess is in the word!

The updated word is: A----
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 40
Total Score: 80

Enter the letter you want to guess: C
Your guess is in the word!

The updated word is: AS---
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 40
Total Score: 120

**Norm** · March 24th, 2019, 09:27 PM

Do you know what might be wrong?

Try doing some debugging. Add some more print statements that show execution flow and the values of variables as they are used.

**dataghost** · March 24th, 2019, 09:37 PM

I've actually solved the problem of delayed print statements. A problem I have now is printing both characters in a string if said string happens to contain two identical characters, like character 'a' in string "hardware". My program will print the first 'a' and will not move on to the next one if the user tries to guess it.

Console Output:
The secret word is: hardware
The word is: --------

Enter the number of spaces allowed: 8

Enter the letter you want to guess: h

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: h-------
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 25

Enter the letter you want to guess: a

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: ha------
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 50

Enter the letter you want to guess: r

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: har-----
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 75

Enter the letter you want to guess: d

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: hard----
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 100

Enter the letter you want to guess: w

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: hardw---
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 125

Enter the letter you want to guess: a

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: hardw---
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 150

Enter the letter you want to guess: a

Your guess is in the word!
The updated word is: hardw---
Guesses Remaining: 20
Score for this round: 25
Total Score: 175

Thread: Help with Simple Text-Based Hangman Game (No Arrays or Object-Oriented Programming)

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