Thread: Help Passing Variables

Based on the method descriptions below, how can I pass the Scanner from the main() method to the promptUserForSeed() method, and how can I use the long variable that the promptUserForSeed() method returns as the seed that gets passed to the findWords() method? I've tried creating static variables but I'm not sure that's helping. I just need to figure out how to configure the main() and promptUserForSeed() methods properly. Thank you!

Method Descriptions:
public static void main(String[] args) - Your main method should create a new Scanner object to read from the keyboard, pass the scanner to promptUserForSeed(), and use the long that it returns as the seed that gets passed to findWords(). Print out the WordBoard that you receive from findWords(), and then use WordBoard's checkAnswers() method to see if your code works as expected.

public static long promptUserForSeed(Scanner input) - This method should print a prompt to the user asking them to input a seed. Read in their input using input.nextLong() and return that value. You do not need to account for the user inputting invalid seeds.

public static WordBoard findWords(int rows, int cols, long seed) - This method should contain the bulk of your code. Using the given seed and dimensions, create a new WordBoard object, fetch the 2D array that WordBoard has generated, and perform your word search on that 2D array. Whenever you find a word, use the highlightWord() method to tell the WordBoard that you've found it. Return the WordBoard object once you are finished finding all of the words.

Here's the code I'm working with:

import java.util.Scanner;
public class WordSearch
{
	static long seed;
	static WordBoard board;
 
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		board = new WordBoard(10, 10, seed);
		System.out.println(WordSearch.findWords(10, 10, seed));
		System.out.println(board.getSeed());
	}
 
	public static long promptUserForSeed(Scanner input)
	{
		System.out.println("Enter seed:");
		seed = input.nextLong();
		return seed;
	}
 
	public static WordBoard findWords(int rows, int cols, long seed)
	{
		board = new WordBoard(10, 10, seed);
		System.out.println(board);
		System.out.println(board.getSeed());
 
		boolean foundLetter = false;
		boolean foundWord = false;
		int i2 = 0;
		int j2 = 0;
		String tempWord = new String();
 
		char[][] puzzle = board.getBoard(); //Create a 2D char array called puzzle that is equal to the 2D array generated by WordBoard
		for(String word : board.getDictionary()) //For each word in WordBoard's dictionary
		{
			char letter = word.charAt(0);
			boolean up = false;
			boolean down = false;
			boolean left = false;
			boolean right = false;
			boolean upLeft = false;
			boolean upRight = false;
			boolean downLeft = false;
			boolean downRight = false;
 
			for(int i1 = 0; i1 < puzzle.length; i1++) //Loop through the puzzle rows
			{
				for(int j1 = 0; j1 < puzzle.length; j1++) //Loop through puzzle columns
				{
					if(puzzle[i1][j1] == letter) //When matched with a letter in the first index of a word in WordBoard's dictionary
					{	
						i2 = i1; //Copy location
						j2 = j1;
 
						foundLetter = true; //We found a letter
						foundWord = false;
 
						if(i1 >= word.length()) //Possible to go up in the grid
						{
							up = true;
						}
						if((i1 + word.length()) <= puzzle.length) //Possible to go down in the grid
						{
							down = true;
						}
						if(j1 >= word.length()) //Possible to go left in the grid
						{
							left = true;
						}
						if((j1 + word.length()) <= puzzle.length) //Possible to go right in the grid
						{
							right = true;
						}
						if(up == true && left == true) //Possible to go up and left in the grid
						{
							upLeft = true;
						}
						if(up == true && right == true) //Possible to go up and right in the grid
						{
							upRight = true;
						}
						if(down == true && left == true) //Possible to go down and left in the grid
						{
							downLeft = true;
						}
						if(down == true && right == true) //Possible to go down and right in the grid
						{
							downRight = true;
						}
 
						if(up == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go up
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going up
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								i2--;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going up
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(down == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go down
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going down
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								i2++;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going down
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(left == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go left
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going left
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2--;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going left
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset the index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(right == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go right
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going right
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2++;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going right
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(upLeft == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go up and left
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going up and left
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2--;
								i2--;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going up and left
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset the index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(upRight == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go up and right
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going up and right
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2++;
								i1--;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going up and right
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(downLeft == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go down and left
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going down and left
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2--;
								i2++;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going down and left
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
 
						i2 = i1; //Reset index for current letter position since we didn't find a word
						j2 = j1;
						if(downRight == true && foundLetter == true && foundWord == false) //While at a matched letter, go down and right
						{
							tempWord = "";
							for(int index = 0; index < word.length(); index++) //Make a string of letters going down and right
							{
								tempWord += puzzle[i2][j2];
								j2++;
								i2++;
							}
 
							if(word.equals(tempWord)) //If the dictionary word matches the temporary word going down and right
							{
								foundLetter = false;
								foundWord = true; //We found a word
 
								board.highlightWord(i1, j1, i2, j2); //Highlight the dictionary word on the grid
							}
						}
					}
				}
			}
		}
		return board; //Return the WordBoard object with highlighted words
	}
}

To pass Scanner object to promptUserForSeed

public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
        promptUserForSeed(input);
                  ....
    }