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Thread: Nested For Loops

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    Default Nested For Loops

    I can't understand how these 'nested' loops work. Can anyone try explain to me in the most simplest form why they are needed and how they work?
      public static void main(String[] args)
       {
     
          for( int count = 1; count <= 5; count ++)
          {
     
             for( int count2 = 1; count2 <= count; count2 ++)
             {
                System.out.print(count2 + "\t");
             }
     
             System.out.println();
     
          }
       }//main
    }//class
    Last edited by javapol; February 21st, 2013 at 07:01 AM. Reason: [code=java] moved


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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    What is printed out when the code is executed?
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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    1
    1 2
    1 2 3
    1 2 3 4
    1 2 3 4 5

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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    How is the value of the variable: star changed to the digits that you posted as the program's output?
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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    Sorry wrong code, edited now.

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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    Looks the same to me.
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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    Thats it now,

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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    Have you tried playing computer with the code? Use a piece of paper to write down the values of the variables as each statement is executed.
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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    I just need to know what happens in nested loops, not that particular program, I mean if a loop loops something 10 times and a loop outside it loops 5 times does this mean that the inside is looped 50 times?

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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    inside is looped 50 times
    5*10 = 50
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    Default Re: Nested For Loops

    The compiler reads from top-down, so it will enter the outer for-loop and executes the code inside of it (i.e. inner for-loop). Once the inner for-loop has finished iterating, the outer for-loop iterates once more and executes the inner for-loop again. This continues until the outer for-loop has finished iterating.

    Here's a very simple example I made on the spot:

     
    import java.util.Scanner;
     
    public class something {
     
         public static void main(String[] args) {
     
               Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
     
               while(true) {
     
                    System.out.println("Enter 'play' to play or 'no' to not play");
                    String data = input.nextLine();
     
                    if(data.equalsIgnoreCase("no")) {
                         break;
                    }
     
                    while(data.equalsIgnoreCase("play")) {
                         // more code
                    }
               }
          }
    }

    If the user enters "no", then the outer loop ends and the code within the inner loop is never executed. On the other hand, if the user enters, "play", then the code within the inner loop is executed. If the user enters anything else, then the inner loop is not executed and since there is no else statement with the if-statement, the outer loop re-iterates until the user enters valid input.

    Not all programs will use nested loops, you only have nested loops in your program if it requires them. There generally are many ways of writing code to achieve the same functionality.

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