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Thread: Switch Case Problem help

  1. #1
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    Default Switch Case Problem help

    Hi I'm fairly new to java, so please don't laugh at me for posting a stupid question.

    As you can see on the code, I have created an Employee class, the constructors are set okay, and the print method is working fine. (disregard the calculate salary method)

    So I'm having a problem in the getPosition() method where I'm having troubles in displaying the contents of a switch case statement when I enter a char

    this is what the code looks like.

    class Employee{
     
    	String name;
    	long empNo;
    	int deptNo;
    	char empPosition;
    	int yearsOfExp;
    	float salary;
     
    	Employee(){				//default constructor
    		name = "";
    		empNo = 0;
    		deptNo = 0;
    		empPosition = 'E';
    		yearsOfExp = 0;
    		salary = 0;	
    	}
     
    	Employee(String n, long e, int d){
    		name = n;
    		empNo = e;
    		deptNo = d;
    		empPosition = 'E';
    		yearsOfExp = 0;
    		salary = 0;
    	}
     
    	Employee(String n, long e, int d, char em, int y){
    		name = n;
    		empNo = e;
    		deptNo = d;
    		empPosition = em;
    		yearsOfExp = y;
    		salary = 0;	
    	}
     
    	public char getPosition(char em){
     
    		switch(em){
    		case 'E':
    			System.out.print("Entry");
    			break;
    		case 'M':
    			System.out.print("Manager");
    			break;
    		case 'D':
    			System.out.print("Dirctor");
    			break;
    		case 'P':
    			System.out.print("Project Leader");
    			break;
    		default:
    			System.out.print("N/A");
    			//return em;
    		}
     
    	return em;
     
     
    	}
    	public void calculateSalary(){
     
    	}
    	public void print(){
    		System.out.println("Employee Name: " + name);
    		System.out.println("Employee Number: " + empNo);
    		System.out.println("Department Number: " + deptNo);
    		System.out.println("Position: " + empPosition);
    		System.out.println("Years of Experience: " + yearsOfExp);
    		System.out.println("Salary: " + salary);
    		System.out.println();
    	}
    }
     
    class EmployeeList{
    	public static void main(String[] args) {
     
    		Employee e1 = new Employee("John Doe",515542,10, 'M',2);
    		Employee e2 = new Employee("a",515542,10, 'M',2);
    		Employee e3 = new Employee("a",515542,10, 'M',2);
    		Employee e4 = new Employee("a",515542,10, 'M',2);
    		Employee e5 = new Employee("a",515542,10, 'M',2);
    		e1.print();
    		e2.print();
    		e3.print();
    		e4.print();
    		e5.print();
    	}
    }

    So when I try to run the program it should look like this

    Employee Name: John Doe
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

    The "Position: M" must be "Position: Manager"

    How do I make that happen?


  2. #2
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    What does the program output look like now?

    Why does the getPosition() method return its argument instead of a String?
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    This is the program output:


    Employee Name: John Doe
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

    Employee Name: a
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

    Employee Name: a
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

    Employee Name: a
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

    Employee Name: a
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    I don't see what the difference is between the "should look like" and the current output?
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    oh ok, so this is the current output:

    Employee Name: John Doe
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0


    The new output that I want to look like should be like this:

    Employee Name: John Doe
    Employee Number: 515542
    Department Number: 10
    Position: Manager //This part is the one that should display, instead of an M
    Years of Experience: 2
    Salary: 0.0

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Did you read the end of post #2?
    You should call that method to get the String you want.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Quote Originally Posted by Norm View Post
    Did you read the end of post #2?
    Yes I do, how would I not return its argument?

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Why do you want to have the method return its argument?
    Why not have it convert its code letter into a String and return that String that you can print out where you want to see the String instead of the code letter.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Quote Originally Posted by Norm View Post
    Why do you want to have the method return its argument?
    Why not have it convert its code letter into a String and return that String that you can print out where you want to see the String instead of the code letter.
    To be honest, I have no idea

    I'm still learning, so how do I exactly convert the code letter into a string?

  10. #10
    Super Moderator Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Use the case statements in getPosition to set a String for the char passed to it. Have getPosition return the String.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Quote Originally Posted by Norm View Post
    Use the case statements in getPosition to set a String for the char passed to it. Have getPosition return the String.
    Sorry I don't really know what to do, can you show it to me visually?

    In my view, you're saying that it should look like this?

    	public String getPosition(char em){
     
    		switch(em){
    		case 'E':
    			System.out.print("Entry");
    			break;
    		case 'M':
    			System.out.print("Manager");
    			break;
    		case 'D':
    			System.out.print("Dirctor");
    			break;
    		case 'P':
    			System.out.print("Project Leader");
    			break;
    		default:
    			System.out.print("N/A");
    			//return em;
    		}
     
    	return getPosition;

    Wouldn't that cause an error?

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Define a String at the beginning of getPosition()
    In each case statement replace System.out.print with an assignment statement that sets the String to the value for the char.
    At the end of the getPosition() method return the String.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

  13. #13
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Quote Originally Posted by Norm View Post
    Define a String at the beginning of getPosition()
    In each case statement replace System.out.print with an assignment statement that sets the String to the value for the char.
    At the end of the getPosition() method return the String.
    Ok I somehow got it, thanks for the help Norm!

  14. #14
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    Default Re: Switch Case Problem help

    Glad you got it.
    If you don't understand my answer, don't ignore it, ask a question.

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