Thread: Reading into a File and storing it into an Array

Hello JavaWorld,

I'm having trouble with this program. I don't understand why I am getting an exception thrown to me. I am successfully reading the file, and displaying it's contents on my console. Then I attempt to store the contents into a String file, and then I plan on storing the contents into an ArrayList.

ArrayList<String>Question=new ArrayList();
public void ReadFile() throws IOException{
 Scanner sr = new Scanner(System.in);
 System.out.println("Please enter file name");
 String fileName = sr.nextLine();
 File infile = new File("C:\\test\\"+fileName+".txt");
 if(infile.exists()){
  System.out.println("The quiz file has been found");
  }
 else{
 System.out.println("Sorry, the file has not been found");
}
Scanner  file = new Scanner(new File("C:\\test\\"+fileName+".txt"));
 while(file.hasNext()){
     System.out.println(file.next());
     String str = file.next();
 
 
 
 }

I honestly don't see where I am going wrong here. It's pretty straightforward. I limited the text file to just"hi" and still it wont work. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

I solved the problem I just made a new scanner and it worked perfectly. So if I understand this correctly, I need two different Scanner objects one for reading the file and seeing if it existed, and the second Scanner object I can make by typing in

    sr = new Scanner(new File("C:\\test\\" + fileName + ".txt"));

. So this way the same object "sr" is now referencing a new object. Does this explain it. By point or referencing the new scanner object it worked perfectly. Now I am able to add the input into the arraylist.

Originally Posted by loui345

I solved the problem I just made a new scanner and it worked perfectly...

In the first place, you didn't say what about the original code didn't "work." Did it run for a while and then throw an exception? Or what? When you say something didn't "work" it leaves it up to us to guess. That's not the way I like to work.

In the second place, there is no need for a new and separate Scanner for the file.

How about showing complete code that "doesn't work" and that "works," so that we can all come to an understanding?


Now, about "working perfectly", assuming that you added your fix and didn't change anything else, did you notice that your code was only printing every other word from the file? Depending on whether the file had an odd number of words or even number of words, it could have thrown an IOException:

Here's your loop with a couple of comments that I added:

        while(file.hasNext()) { // Enter the loop as long as there is a next String
            System.out.println(file.next()); // Read a String and print it
            String str = file.next();        // Read another String.  Will eventually put it into the ArrayList
.
.
.

Bottom line: More information, please. I'm really interested, and there are lots of people who follow threads like this, looking for things like this, hoping to learn. Maybe your "fix" actually fixed something, but I would have to see a little more to grasp its true implications.


Cheers!

Z

When I was trying to store the file into the String

  String str = file.next();

that was throwing me an exception error. So I just used trial and error and

  sr = new Scanner(new File("C:\\test\\" + fileName + ".txt"));

and it worked. I then tried to theorize on why it worked and wrote an explanation on why i believed it to work. Now I am having additional trouble.


I am trying to store the text file in it's entirety into an arraylist. I know how to do it with a regular array. I would create a loop and increment it in. This method doesn't work with an arraylist. So I attempted to do this

 while(sr.hasNext()){
       int i = 0;
 
    String a = sr.next();
 
 
    Question.add(a);
    System.out.println(Question.get(1));

In my mind, this makes perfect sense. The variable is stored in "a", and I add it into the Arraylist as the loop continues. I ran a quick test and I get an outbound exception thrown, which tells me it's not working probably. I am stuck once again. It should work.

No, that won't work. Any other ideas curmudgeon. Shouldn't it work? Is there an error on my understanding. It seems pretty straight forward.

Originally Posted by loui345

No, that won't work. Any other ideas curmudgeon. Shouldn't it work? Is there an error on my understanding. It seems pretty straight forward.

Your code would never work. You're getting the second item in the list by calling get(1) (remember lists are 0-based -- they start at 0), before a 2nd item has been added.

Why won't my suggestion work? Have you re-read the edit to my post?

Yes, you're 100 percent correct. I could kiss you. I forgot to i++, and you also pointed out when I was calling the ArrayList I needed to call it after the while loop. Because I forgot the increment the i++, I thought that my logic was flawed, so I attempted to test it by calling the ArrayList's index at [1], and I was getting an out of bound exception. Now I understand, so again thanks curmudgeon.

You're quite welcome, but please, keep your kisses to yourself.

Also, do you see the problem with declaring and initializing the i variable *inside* of the while loop?

No, I don't see the problem?

I am not sure if you've more mental energy to solve another problem I have. See the whole problem I have is I am not actually a member of the school. I found the school and they leave the homework assignments accessible to the public. I try and complete the assignments the best way I can. I don't have the option of actually asking the instructor or TA for assistance on the assignment.

My problem is

    for(int i = 0; i < Question.size(); i++)  
    {  
      System.out.print(Question.get(i)+" ");  
      if((Question.get(i)).equalsIgnoreCase("?")){
    System.out.println("\n");

I believe the assignment wants me to store the question in the ArrayList and then print it out in a quiz like format. For example, the output should be like this:How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop ?
1.2
2.3
3.4
4.4

So I am confused on how to get the code to print out like that correctly. Any suggestions, would greatly be appreciated.

Anyone have some suggestions?

I believe the assignment wants me to ...

If you post your given instructions it will be easier to help you figure out what is needed.

store the question in the ArrayList and then print it out in a quiz like format

I am not sure what that means. Try to create a step by step process to solve the problem, and when you get stuck post the process and any question you have.

Okay, sorry about my vague post earlier it was 3:00am at the time and my mind wasn't functioning correctly. Anyhow, " You must store your Questions in an ArrayList and access the questions via the ArrayList.

• The file access for this program is again fairly straightforward. The file is formatted in such a way as to make the input and extraction of the data fairly simple. However, note that some of the data read in is String data and some is int data – be careful to handle these types appropriately." This is what is expected of me. I am able to print this data out from my ArrayList,which looks like this:"How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop ?
1.2 2.3 3.4 4.4" The data should look like this:
How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop ?
1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8

I believe the instructions want me to first store the data from a text file into an Array, and then from the ArrayList print the data in a quiz like format. The trouble I am having is getting the data to print newlines for the user to select the answer. So any help in pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

for(int i = 0; i < Question.size(); i++)  
    {  
      System.out.print(Question.get(i)+" ");  
      if((Question.get(i)).equalsIgnoreCase("?")){
    System.out.print("\n");
}
    }

This is my attempt at trying to get a new line. I look for the question mark in the output from the Array, and then create a newline by using the newline character. It doesn't work, so any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi I made a lot of progress since I last posted this. Sometimes I realize that taking a few minute break and coming back I can see solutions that wasn't apparent initially. Unfortunately, for me a solution usually leads to another problem. I was able to print the data correctly, and when I say correctly I mean in this format:
"How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?
4
one
two
three
four "
Now I have done that it almost is perfect but for some reason I am getting erroneous information. My output is:
How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop? " 4 0:4"
1ne
2:two
3:three
4:four

I am unsure on why I am getting that bit of extra info on my output.

 // I create a loop display the ArrayList on oneline with a space
    for(int i = 0; i < Question.size(); i++)  
    {  
// I am postive that this line of code is creating the extra data
      System.out.print(Question.get(i)+" ");
     // I create an If statement and search for the integer 4
      if((Question.get(i)).equalsIgnoreCase("4")){
            for(int is =17 ; is < Question.size(); is++) {
             // I then loop again from the interger 4 displaying the data on new seperate lines 
         // I then use "is" to increment and subract 17 this allows me to add to count each answer 1 through 4 on new lines
          System.out.println(is-17+":"+Question.get(is));
            }
           // I then created an enhanced loop to once again cycle through the ArrayList and remove  the last part of the Array. If I do not do this it will continue to loop and give me data
           // that I don't need. 
           for(String X: Question){
           Question.remove(20);
             Question.remove(19);
             Question.remove(18);
             Question.remove(17);
         break;
           }
 
            }
 
}

When I try to mentally map it out it makes sense in my head, but the compile sees it a different way. I tried to make my problem as unambiguous as possible. If I am not clear enough, please let me know. Also, I am not in the class I am just doing the homework assignments, so I can become a better programmer in life.

anyone have a suggestion?

can anyone tell me if I am in the right direction?