My string is not activating my if statment.

[ZeroLRS]

I have recently started to learn java and wanted skills to test my skills so far. I started making a small text-based game and have hit an early roadblock.

I have two classes so far, one for the menu system and the core processes, another for the character's stats and information.
While testing the two classes interacting, I was able to successfully print the stats, call it in an if by setting two variables equal (operation and stats).

The problem came when I wanted to use scanner to allow the user to type "stats" and show the stats. I have tried both if and while with the variables equal, so I know that the problem has something to do with scanner.

Here are the classes.

GameD01.java

import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class GameD01 {
	public static void main(String args[]){
		Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
		characterStats charStats = new characterStats();
 
		String operation, stats = null;
		System.out.println("What would you like to see?");
		operation = input.nextLine();
		if(stats){
			System.out.println("Your stats are: ");
			System.out.println("HP: "+ charStats.health);
			System.out.println("MP: "+ charStats.magic);
			System.out.println("Str: "+ charStats.strength);
			System.out.println("Def: "+ charStats.defense);
			operation = null;
		}else{
			System.out.println("Please work...");
		}
	}
}

characterStats.java

 
public class characterStats {
	public int health, magic, strength, defense; {
		health = 100;
		magic = 20;
		strength = 50;
		defense = 50;
	}
}

[Norm]

Try debugging your code by adding a println before the if statement to show the values of the Strings being compared. Something like this:
System.out.println("op=" +operation + "< stats=" + stats + "<");

The output should help you see what is the problem.

[ZeroLRS]

It prints:

op=stats< stats=null<

which tells me that the if should go off, but it still doesn't.
NOTE: In the code of the original post, I changed the choice if to a regular if, the choice was a suggestion from another site.

More NOTE: If at all possible, instead of more strings, I would like to just have user's input tested against the operation.

[Norm]

if should go off, but it still doesn't.

By "going off" I assume you mean that the condition tested should be true.

The original code tested the contents of operation("stat")
to the contents of stat(null);
Those two contents are different, so the if condition will be false.

Does the new version of the code compile?

String operation, stats = null;
...
if(stats){

The variable: stats is not a boolean.

I would like to just have user's input tested against the operation.

Not sure what that means. The variable: operation is the user's input.

[ZeroLRS]

I'm an idiot when it comes to editing my own code....
In eclipse I changed the choice if to:
if(operation == stats){

but in my post, I changed it to:
if(stats){

How do you suppose I make it so that if the user types "stats" into the prompt, it will display them.

I'm about to try setting stats = "stats" to see if that works.
Will edit post if it does, assume that it wont if you see this beforehand.

Nope, as expected, it didn't.

[Norm]

if(operation == stats){

Use the equals() method to compare Strings. The == operator is for primitives.

You could use a String literal in your if statement:
if(operation.equals("stats"){

[ZeroLRS]

Thank you so much!
In the videos I'm watching, I haven't gotten to equals yet, this worked perfectly.

When I finish this in however many months it will take me, I'm gonna put you in the credits :)

[Norm]

Wow. I'll be famous.
Keep plugging along. It'll get easier and make more sense as you get more experience and knowledge.

[ZeroLRS]

Looking at my code now, I've already started most of the battle system's core.

I'm amazed that I wrote all of this stuff. Even more so that I started java yesterday.